Here

And the all-important new plan:

The all-important 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

 

 

Chrisreunion:

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.

 

jonnyb:

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.

 

 

Kokomo:

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.

Kokomo:

"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.

 

Watching it now , exc news. Tue is the man ! At last bno have a bright future :)

Just getting into the Apple stores will make a massive difference to their sales and brand awareness ! Maybe bno and apple will make tv's together ?

"Increased focus on sound and acoustics and closer collaboration with partners in the audio-video development and procurement."

Wonder if this means that it will be more e.g. Samsung or the like inside future TVs from B&O, including video processing software (that I assume B&O are developing today), mediacenter sw etc, and that B&O will do the design/user interface/intergration/loudspeaker part?

Here you have the full presentation from this morning : http://storm.zoomvisionmamato.com/player/bang_olufsen/objects/0fh6c8v1/

Note the 30th slide : IMMEDIATE END OF BEOSOUND 9000 + BEOSOUND 3200

 

Hi,

no doubt, B&O must reach the younger "handy generation" to ensure their future. The rich retired persons who are willing to spent thousands of Euros for a tv or loudspeakers in their Audi A8 are dying out!

/Räuber

Flappo:

Just getting into the Apple stores will make a massive difference to their sales and brand awareness ! Maybe bno and apple will make tv's together ?

Maybe a B&O branded Apple TV set, where Apple do the software, Samsung the display and B&O do design and sound system?

There are words on the market saying that Apple will release a TV set

There is a huge difference between using Apple retail system and developing a product with them. You can dream if you want, but as I own a lot of Apple products and understand their strategy, I'm not dreaming of that (ie : base ALL digital content on Apple stores, don't be compatible with Blu Rays, DLNA or other "industry-standards").

Stock price now at +17%, hovering about 72 DKK with lots more willing buyers than sellers. Which is nice.

US bankruptcy now compensated, but still some way to go to the March figures...

is there any info about the new products we expect this year.

mbee:

Note the 30th slide : IMMEDIATE END OF BEOSOUND 9000 + BEOSOUND 3200

 

I heard that. I think Tue had a good logic explanation to the decision. Still, BS9000 is an icon. But, as he said, it does not send the right signals.

BS3200 will not be missed, as far as I´m concerned.

Frankly, I also think they should ban all stores to have e.g. old Avants standing on display. I´ve seen several shops where they have those on display, that they have taken as trade ins from customers.

 

Raeuber:

Hi,

The rich retired persons who are willing to spent thousands of Euros for a tv or loudspeakers in their Audi A8 are dying out!

And are starting to reign in their spending. My mother (63) was left a significant amount of cash when my father passed away and refuses to spend it on B&O (she bought a Samsung TV). My landlords (53 and 49) have £2 million of property around Bath and have recently moved from buying B&O after being big B&O customers ten years ago. They've bought two Sony TVs recently. As they said, they could pick them up for £700 and pay £60 for a complete install.

It's not just about the existing audience dying away, but them realising that their investments have/are taken a hit from the recession, interest rates low, shares down and, as a result, even their disposable income is tighter than it was.

It's mostly the 16-25 age group that spends money on tech these days.

"Just getting into the Apple stores will make a massive difference to their sales and brand awareness ! Maybe bno and apple will make tv's together ?"

 

I hope so as I love the brand. My only reservation is that when customers see the Apple & B&O products 'side by side' (especially if Apple TVs make an appearance), will they be persuaded to pay many times the amount for the B&O product rather than the 'trendy' Apple one?

Apple products are already not cheap, so will customers seeing B&O prices just exclaim "how much!!"  

I really hope also though, that with new products, customers who have little or no B&O brand awareness will take a serious look at them for the first time.

Kokomo:

Apple products are already not cheap, so will customers seeing B&O prices just exclaim "how much!!"  

The feedback and reviews for the Beosound 8 on the US Apple.com store are excellent. I wouldn't worry about customers ignoring the B&O products. Clearly they've done reasonably well through the US stores or B&O wouldn't have rolled out this partnership worldwide.

Having said that, I'm no big fan of Apple Stores. In fact, I dislike them immensely. I go to my local reseller rather than the Apple Store. I can't stand the way it's full of kids browsing the net for free. They are busy, manic, warm and not very inviting (for me). But others clearly like them as they are the most popular stores in many towns. If they work, then it's good for B&O.

The Apple store is being updated ... hmmm. interesting times

moxxey:

Raeuber:

Hi,

The rich retired persons who are willing to spent thousands of Euros for a tv or loudspeakers in their Audi A8 are dying out!

And are starting to reign in their spending.

Regarding Audi... I spent Monday at my dealer, a fairly high volume one with plenty of inventory.

I counted only two, YES, two cars available with the B&o sound option...

A car that didn't have it? A gorgeous, otherwise loaded-up A8L with a 102k USD sticker.

I thought it was rather strange, but maybe not!

Just noted that B&o trademarked the term: "BANG & OLUFSEN PLAY" the last day of June.