B&O in 5 years?

Will B&O be more than just a car and home speaker manufacture in five years?  What do you think?

It might be worth merging this thread with this one:

http://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/t/5232.aspx (B&O's future line up)

We're discussing what B&O will be manufacturing in the future.

expoman, I think B&O will be the "Danish Bowers & Wilkins". On their website, they are spoken only about acoustic sound. Martin is the new tonesmeister employed by Beo. Before in Beo's catalogue, the designer David Lewis talked only. I think it is a sign. Bang & Olufsen's CEO should said frankly what are plans in next 5 years for the company - if they have one ! :-))

The future of B&O in five years in two words: plain vanilla. Nothing exciting or scary so to ease the understanding of the corporate world.

They have lost their iconic status with the discontinuation of the Avant and the 9000. These were products that generations of us could see and aspire. Imagine if the Avant as a product existed with upgrades to include the new panel televisions or that the 9000 became an internet hub/router/SD card product. This would give the iconic look and feel of a product line that continues through multi-generations. Also, the ML system was way ahead of its time and was simple for connecting rooms together and could have been embraced as part of the airplay technology.

They defined a market for themselves.

Instead, B&O has chosen to give us one off Play products that are in direct competition with Bose and B&W; televisions that offer little beyond what we find in the big box stores and hanging around on the wall just like everyone else (this WAS really cool in the 1990’s); and nothing really to replace the 9000. We have a new gateway ML system and some airplay, and not much compatibility between any of the new products. Instead of defining the B&O look and feel, they are responding to the look and feel of their competition. 

B&O has the look and feel of a company that is positioning itself to become just another sub brand of a larger company. Some new product coming out is interesting, new product that is not fully thought out for the long term user, a new product line that is positioned for price conscious sales, and the removal of expensive to produce product; which all looks good on a balance sheet in the boardroom because their decisions are being driven for a market target that is one of corporate appeal not consumer appeal.