Thank you to our Sponsors
Location: Mexico city
And the all-important new plan:
New bigger stores sound interesting and the cooperation with Apple Stores is going to split some B&O customers, I think. I hope B&O know what they are doing here as I fear that the products may be grouped with every other rival product (B&W, JBL etc) and not going to get the attention they think they should receive. Still, being part of the largest tech retail stores can't be bad. I'm assuming he means computer speakers, the Beosound 8, A8s and other similar products.
Will anyone be at the live event at 1pm?
Wow, you were faster than me on this one!!🙁
Pasted from the B&O financial report:
QUOTE
3. Launching a new product category and expanding the distribution
TRANSLATION
Bang & Olufsen will launch a new category of products towards the end of 2011 aimed at attracting new customers to the brand. The new product category will consist of a range of stand- alone products, which take advantage of Bang & Olufsen’s competencies within design, sound, connectivity and user friendliness – applying Bang & Olufsen’s approach to quality.
The products will be marketed through Bang & Olufsen’s dedicated shops and through complementary retail channels. The objective is to increase the worldwide brand awareness and attract new customers to Bang & Olufsen. Bang & Olufsen has signed an agreement with Apple for European distribution of these products through Apple shops. This complements an already established agreement to sell through Apple stores in the USA. The products under the new product category will also be sold through a new Bang & Olufsen branded digital online shop.
The new product category is expected to be an important business driver. The intention is to deliver incremental turnover and generate new customer leads to the existing Bang & Olufsen distribution offering the complete product portfolio, home integration services and installation support. The management of the new product category is in place and located in Copenhagen.
UNQUOTE
3. Launching a new product category and expanding the distribution
The only annoying thing is that they don't elaborate on this "new product category". Hopefully they give more indication of these new products at the live event later today?
This is the bit I found exciting/interesting ...
The plan contains six main points:
Increased focus on sound and acoustics and closer collaboration with partners in the audio-video development and procurement.
- B & O will increasingly draw on the partners in the field, it already has.
- B & O itself will rely more on internal skills and resources within which, Bang & Olufsen has "world class" skills, eg. in mapping user experience, concept, sound and acoustics, design and systems integration.
It should strengthen the overall effectiveness of product development. And so the aim is that there must be multiple, successful product launches from Struer company.
I wonder who they see as existing partners ... (Audi, etc are mentioned under point number 5, Apple under point three)
I want tighter integration with iTunes without the need for separate media server software. And support for Apple lossless. Then the BS5 Encore begins to look more attractive.
When I visited my dealer on Monday and we were chatting about the lack of use the CDs get on my BS9000 get these days, I described my Airport Express setup through the AUX port and the guy just shook his head and said, 'Yeah. We hear that a lot.'
I want the simplicity of walking in from work and hitting a single button on my Beo4 and a tune plays through my BL8000s from iTunes.
Make it happen please B&O. The BS5 Encore + Twonky solution is getting there but contains an unnecessary layer.
"Bang & Olufsen has signed an agreement with Apple for European distribution of these products through Apple shops. This complements an already established agreement to sell through Apple stores in the USA. The products under the new product category will also be sold through a new Bang & Olufsen branded digital online shop."
Hugely ironic I think in view of the B&O v Apple debates that have taken place on this forum and the insistance of many that B&O should keep well clear of Apple.
The story of King Canute springs to mind.
I want tighter integration with iTunes without the need for separate media server software. And support for Apple lossless. Then the BS5 Encore begins to look more attractive.
When I visited my dealer on Monday and we were chatting about the lack of use the CDs get on my BS9000 get these days, I described my Airport Express setup through the AUX port and the guy just shook his head and said, 'Yeah. We hear that a lot.'
I want the simplicity of walking in from work and hitting a single button on my Beo4 and a tune plays through my BL8000s from iTunes.
Make it happen please B&O. The BS5 Encore + Twonky solution is getting there but contains an unnecessary layer.
That is exactly what I am thinking and waiting for.
As Apples`AppleTV is just a "hobby" there might be hope that we ll see a Apple&BEO TV soon. A BEO TV including the Itunes libary would be perfect but let´s see and wait.
Hugely ironic I think in view of the B&O v Apple debates that have taken place on this forum and the insistance of many that B&O should keep well clear of Apple.
It's better to work with your bigger rivals than compete against them and hope you can make waves within the market. Going forward, Apple and Google are only going to become bigger players and B&O realise this.
One advantage Apple has is the retail network. And, more importantly, lots of people hitting those stores. I wouldn't like to compare the footfall Apple get compared to a B&O store. I've walked past our local Apple Store at 10am and there are often 50+ in there. I walk past the B&O store on the busiest day of the week and often there's no-one in there at all.
By all means have your own viewpoint on this, but B&O want to grow and grow fast and there current retail model simply doesn't work. And will only worsen going forward - expensive rents, small shops, no footfall etc.
"Bang & Olufsen has signed an agreement with Apple for European distribution of these products through Apple shops. This complements an already established agreement to sell through Apple stores in the USA. The products under the new product category will also be sold through a new Bang & Olufsen branded digital online shop."
Hugely ironic I think in view of the B&O v Apple debates that have taken place on this forum and the insistance of many that B&O should keep well clear of Apple.
The story of King Canute springs to mind.
I think what B&O is getting in the Apple cooperation is a huge distribution machine for B&O products. The new line of B&O products mentioned in the strategy is likely loudspeaker/headphone/ipod dock products.
Easy to understand products and easy to decide on and to buy over the web.
Location: Sweden
My B&O Icons:
You must be logged in as a BeoWorld member to post replies to forum threads.
Register to access the forums, reference material, and exclusive member benefits — including our monthly prize draw.
Become a Member