Soft launch for the first thinbking music player

Project Information

PRIZM2016

Grant agreement ID: 729937

DOI

10.3030/729937

Project closed

EC signature date 15 June 2016

Start date 1 May 2016

End date 31 October 2016

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

UBITHINGS
France

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PRIZM2016 (Soft launch for the first thinbking music player)

Reporting period: 2016-05-01 to 2016-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Internet of Things (IoT) represents the next big step towards the wide digitization of both our society and economy. Yet consumers still express legitimate concerns about IoT (usage complexity, worthlessness, personal data issues, loss of user control, interoperability matters or hacking risks) and sometimes disappointment (one third of smart wearable purchasers cease to use the product six months after its purchase). To address these concerns and to occupy a key place in households, Ubithings proposes smart device services where the added value is the best perceived and where the ecosystem is the most developed: digital music.
We leverage the music streaming booming and its digital opportunities to introduce Prizm. Prizm is the first context-aware device that automatically plays the perfect song based on people in the room, their music tastes and habits, and the current atmosphere.
The feasibility study aimed to assess three key levels:
− Economic: Better know foreign targeted markets (US, GB) and French final users through beta test program and then a first on-line distribution of 5000 units
− Commercial: Assess business partnerships in physical distribution and analyze BtoB business model opportunities in order to place Prizm in the forthcoming smart house.
− Legal: Identify legal and IP issues for the Prizm soft-launch in France, US and GB.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the 6-month period of the feasibility study, we carried out market studies in high potential selling foreign territories (US and GB). In France, we analyzed 50 beta-testers feedbacks and improved the ergonomics to significantly decrease first use misunderstandings and make our device more reliable and intuitive. Besides, we attended several meetings with key partners to validate the attractiveness and market receptivity of our product and to meet several professionals to distribute our product abroad.
Based on technical, economical and legal inputs, our will to enter into American and English markets to widen the impact of our innovative product is confirmed and strengthened.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Ubithings aims to become a major European and worldwide actor in the connected audio market, developing the first context-aware thinking device that could change the way to enjoy music at home. Finalizing our feasibility study reinforced our will to reach this objective and allowed us to refine the way to do it. This allowed us to test our product with consumers, to refine our industrial, technical, commercial, international, logistical and legal visions, while consolidating our team engagement.

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