(Pocket-lint) – Europe’s biggest consumer electronics trade show is almost over and we’re back in the office having seen several key new products and a few interesting tech concepts. However, IFA 2022 was unlike many of its predecessors – it didn’t focus on new TV technology, video standards, or device trends. We had the theme as always, but this time around it was “anti-technology”.
The biggest message we took from the event was that companies continue to do their best to create new products, but the fragile future of the planet is at the forefront of design decisions.
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“Sustainability” wasn’t just a word, it was the heart of an advertising frenzy. While the companies didn’t have much new to announce, they were happy to tout how durable the existing lineup is.
Energy loss
Take Samsung, for example, which spent the better part of an hour-long, unaired IFA press conference announcing how its bath machines AI can produce tiny bubbles by reducing the temperature required in a tea towel. Or why making all its devices smart and Wi-Fi connected by 2023 will, on the contrary, reduce energy use.
Cynicism aside, the company highlighted two things the tech industry is dealing with and justifying that “sustainability” sticker.
Take the SolarCell remote, for example – it automatically recharges Wi-Fi radio signals in low light and amazingly, eliminating batteries instead. And, as Samsung is opening up its license to third parties, other companies may follow suit with similarly eco-conscious clickers.
By reducing this kind of waste with an everyday device that doesn’t even require charging from a conventional power source, Samsung and partners are solving two issues at once – something better for the environment and more practical for the user. We don’t have to look for two AAAs to turn to Antiques Roadshow.
The company has used its keynotes to build long-lasting utilities and products — something its peers have pointed out, too.
That is the true meaning of sustainability in the world of technology. We’ve spent a good two decades making our way through disposable devices, and that’s made some companies richer (and even richer) for landfills or carbon emissions from manufacturing plants.
So, Samsung and others seem to agree that it’s time to stop building AV gear that you’ll probably have to replace every three or so years, even if you’ve made a big profit. Or phones. or refrigerators.
Module mission
To that end, we particularly like the concept behind Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound Theater Sound Bar. Not only is it built to last at least 10 years, but it is a modular design where different physical components can be upgraded and replaced.
The processor is already over-specified so that later beefier software updates have room to roll over as it ages, and some parts on the back can be replaced. The source input panel is a prime example of this. It currently has eARC-enabled HDMI ports, but if a new entry becomes standard before 2032, a new hardware module could go in.
Naturally, speakers naturally lend themselves to longevity—compared to televisions, at least—but this extra focus on the digital side of the process allows us to remember the products we’re replacing.
The LG MoodUp refrigerator is another product we’ve seen fit into a similar pigeon hole. Yes, it has the latest low energy standards and certifications, but it was what most of us would call “sustainable” design. The color-changing LED panels on the door make the fridge more in tune with home improvement trends. So, if you need a new kitchen, you can change MoodUp’s fascia to match instead of selling the whole thing.
It means your next fridge will last longer.
There have been many other examples from many of the major tech manufacturers, and while retail price increases are inevitable to cover the cost of less sold devices, we think it’s part of sustainability that we can all get behind.
It’s a shame that we all have to fly to Germany, step into huge, air-conditioned halls, and watch giant, powered displays that make a penny drop.
Writing by Rick Henderson.
