Having been declared the winners of the IFEC category at this year’s Crystal Cabin Awards, which took place in Hamburg on Tuesday 10 April, Bluebox Aviation Systems has unveiled a number of product developments during the Aircraft Interiors Expo.
“After such incredible interest in our portfolio at AIX17 – particularly Bluebox Wow – it’s great to be back this year demonstrating that interest is converting around the world,” said Kevin Clark, CEO, Bluebox Aviation Systems.
“We’re also excited to be discussing our latest product developments,” he added, explaining that the process of evolving Bluebox IFE continues with advances across the company’s wireless and portable portfolio.
“Highlights include the development of ‘connected portable wireless’ options for linking Bluebox Wow boxes to aircraft power and/or satellite connectivity services with the support of Fokker Services; approvals from Hollywood studios for app-free Digital Rights Management (DRM); and further enhancements to Bluebox aIFE [Accessible IFE].”
Commenting on its partnership with Bluebox, Mareijn Willems, business development manager at Fokker Services, said: “Working with Bluebox as their trusted engineering partner for some time now, we know the Bluebox IFE portfolio will evolve and adapt, as demand for and the economics of connectivity change.”
Willems added that “being ready and able to offer a flexible bridge across that space between captive wireless IFE and full connectivity is what we’re making possible here.”
A major highlight for the company during the show has undoubtedly been being declared winners of Crystal Cabins’ IFEC category for its Bluebox aIFE solution.
Launched with Virgin Atlantic in November 2017, the Accessible IFE solution is now capable of supporting 30 languages in its main user interface and can now be deployed with a combined build if required, offering both Bluebox Ai and Bluebox aIFE options on the same device.
Looking to the future, Clark enthused that “IFE platforms are rapidly evolving beyond IFE alone – they’re becoming a channel for engaging with customers in new and more personalised ways.”
Concluding that “Entertainment will never fully go away of course”, Clark added “but when a moving map gets three times the number of hits of other content, digital news is fresh, snacks and onward experiences can be ordered and booked whenever a passenger wishes to (or when an advert on screen reminds them they can), and through-the-window photos can be shared via social media mid-flight, it’s clear that our IFE systems don’t just entertain; they inform, educate, entice and connect passengers.
