Why don't B&O focus on good design -but upgradeable inside?

moxxey replied on Thu, Jul 26 2012 1:30 PM

vikinger:

"With the change to the new forum several enthusiasts seem to have backed-away."

I think trying to create a modern discussion forum based around "enthusiasts" will only ever be a short-medium term solution, much like creating a forum and attracting vinyl record collectors. The interest will diminish with few new users to replace them.

But it does show the struggle B&O have to attract new customers. On one hand they are still clinging on to the old-school customers who walk in and buy a B&O TV, with the intention to keep it for a few years. On the other hand, they are trying to reach out to the much younger digital generation who are more care-free and flippant with their spending. Ironically though, it's these guys who are driving down the prices of technology (as they want to pay less and less...). It's a bit of a catch-22 knowing and finding your future market.

Moxxey's comment in the whatever happened thread made me think again along lines I've raised in the past.

If technology is gaining pace and dropping in price, wouldn't it be better for B&O to concentrate on really good design into which updated modules could be inserted as technology moved on without the whole B&O product becoming obsolete? You'd have thought, for example, that a BV5 type television could be sold just as a frame with speakers, with the ability for the customer to drop the latest LCD or plasma screen in behind the frame and just plug it into the speaker unit/ controller system below.

Graham

Absolutely agree. The amount of 5's and 9's almost being thrown away, with their frames/ speakers etc going to waste just for the sake of an up to date panel, seems criminal.

If its ok to recondition speakers why not tv's. This would make a much better long investment, producing more sales and "help the environment" blah blah blah

vikinger:

You'd have thought, for example, that a BV5 type television could be sold just as a frame with speakers, with the ability for the customer to drop the latest LCD or plasma screen in behind the frame and just plug it into the speaker unit/ controller system below.

Well... when B&o is distilled to its basest components... is that not just what they sorta' do already?

An aggrandized Heathkit of sorts?

The risk for such a scenario is well understood and to bring the "A" word immediately into the thread -the reason for their success is to control every component encapsulated by the design. Ensure that it works. B&o is not really any different, but suffered from some weak links in the process that they seemingly are dealing with lately, especially SW.

Leave the panel replacements to the hackers -no problem, I love it.

But... leave the OEM B&o experience as boutiquey as it can remain... to survive.

Samdung have this supposedly upgradeable internals idea going. You can upgrade the internal CPU & GPU as new technology appears... Then again Sony had the same idea in the 1980's with their profeel range and nothing really came of it.It's only as string as the weakest link and sammys seems to be their reliability and quality control.

Tbh the very notion of future proofing seems to me to be an impossible dream as it's always been a moving target and nowadays actually seems to be accelerating...look st the promise of OLED .