Swisscom Box 21 and a new entertainment device strategy

With the introduction of the Swisscom Box 21, we are finally implementing a new entertainment device strategy. For all Swisscom set-top boxes since the market introduction of the HD Box in 2014, we focused on a single box strategy. Only one box was in production and available at a time. So when the UHD box was launched in 2016, we stopped manufacturing and offering the HD Box. 

(Image: HD Box and UHD Box)

The latest device (the Swisscom Box, launched 2019) added a feature that goes beyond TV. Integration of far field voice (via microphones and a speaker) enabled offering "Hey Swisscom" aka the Swisscom Voice Assistant with use cases outside of the TV domain. Therefore, this device is more than a TV box. It is a Swisscom Box!

The Swisscom Box is very popular. We were taken by surprise by the volume of orders shortly after launch, and customer satisfaction is higher than with all previous devices. But: Not everyone wants to use the far field voice capability. And even if it can be turned off completely with the mute switch on the box, it makes the box less compact and adds components that are then never used and it is therefore more expensive.

So we decided adapt our strategy by also offering a second version of the Swisscom box, a small sibling so to say. The design shows a lot of similarities, but the box is much more compact. The cool thing about this is, that both versions of the Swisscom Box have won a Red Dot Design Award!

Customers now have the choice between the two versions and can decide to get the Swisscom Box with far field voice for a small cost up. And even if they do not choose the more expensive option, they still get the exact same quality and content, along with the same remote control. They can also access the voice functionality via push to talk (microphone button on the remote control). 

(Image: The Swisscom Boxes)

This also makes a lot of sense for Swisscom: The Swisscom Box 21 comes at a lower unit price, but using the same SoC and platform allows to run the same software, therefore also not adding a lot of effort in development and lifecycle.

I am very proud to belong to the team that made this great hardware strategy possible during the current COVID-19 situation, where no travel was possible and most of the time we were working in our home offices. Also, this certainly would not work without trusted partners. I'm really looking forward to all the cool things coming next!