ENSCHEDE, THE NETHERLANDS ― 07 September 2016 – Universal Electronics Inc. (NASDAQ:UEIC), the worldwide leader in universal control and sensing technologies for the smart home, today announced a volume shipping deal with Sagemcom for Orange, one of the largest operators of mobile and internet services in Europe and Africa, to develop and supply a remote control unit for the operator’s new 4K UHD TV decoder — the New Live box.
Officially launched in May to the French ma
rket, the set-top box features ultra-powerful Wi-Fi capabilities, storage options and access to UHD content.
“The New Live box was developed to address the changing needs of our customers and ensures they have excellent connectivity and a range of content options to choose from. We pride ourselves on delivering an excellent customer experience and we wanted to ensure this was also reflected in the design of the remote control unit. We selected Universal Electronics via Sagemcom to deliver this unique remote control based on the company’s capabilities and technical knowledge,” says Aymeric Castelain, marketing director New Livebox, Orange.
The remote control features a sleek, slim-line design with a limited number of keys to ensure ease of use. The built-in silicon keypad complements the ultra-thin profile and the coin cell configuration used guarantees optimum battery life. Universal Electronics uses this technology in the majority of the remote controls it designs, the aim of which is to ensure the viewer will only need to change the battery once in the lifetime of the device. The remote uses radio frequency (RF) and Bluetooth low energy (BLE) to ensure two-way communication, and was manufactured in an EICC certified production facility, ensuring sustainability.
“Simplicity was the key consideration during the design phase,” says Menno Koopmans, senior VP subscription broadcasting, Universal Electronics. “From the time the deal was awarded in late 2014 we worked closely with the team at Sagemcom (Orange’s STB vendor) and Orange to deliver the perfect remote control that met the exacting requirements, provided the best customer experience, and is a great companion to the new 4K UHD TV decoder.”
Universal Electronics will be sharing its Sense & Control Redefined experience on stand at this year’s IBC event. Visit the team in Hall 1 on Stand C41 from 9-13 September 2016 to see its solutions in action.
