MWC 2016: Panasonic showcases connected product line up.

The Toughpad FZ-F1

Panasonic has used Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to introduce a suite of connected products for the first time in Europe.

The company’s IoT includes new connected technology for cars, public spaces and security, including the formal availability launch of the Panasonic Nubo, the industry’s first mobile connected 4G monitoring camera.

“Mobile World Congress brings together Panasonic’s consumer, automotive, business technology, industrial and eco solutions divisions,” said Tony O’Brien, Deputy Managing Director of Panasonic System Solutions Europe. “While we continue to have a very strong consumer electronics presence, increasingly revenue and growth is coming from our B2B sectors. Mobile World Congress gives us a chance to demonstrate how connected products are helping on that journey.”

In automotive, Ficosa, in which Panasonic took a 49% stake in 2015, introduced its Smart Connectivity Module. It integrates antennas, tuners and a local server to create a new generation of connected car, which allows multiple users to simultaneously browse the web, watch movies, listen to music, play online games and access GPS, from different mobile devices.

In addition, the company showcased the V2X Unit, a compact, cost effective module supporting car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communications.

Panasonic Automotive also debuted OneConnectSM, the platform on which Panasonic's Personal Radio by AUPEO! content service is built upon. It now features a preferred brand loyalty actions service that allows car companies and other brands to directly communicate with drivers and provide them with relevant content and contextual information. For example, notifications on software updates, service reminders and other messages can be seamlessly integrated into vehicle audio at convenient and unobtrusive times for the driver.

For public spaces, Panasonic Light ID links smartphones with digital signage, providing detailed information through blinking LEDs at a speed unrecognisable to the human eye. The system uses a dedicated mobile app to instantly share content between Light ID transmitters, such as displays and LED signboards, to smartphones.

In personal security, Panasonic announced the availability of Nubo, The world’s first 3G/4G Mobile Video Camera which allows users to monitor and treasure their valuables without the need for Wi-Fi.

Designed for both indoor and outdoor usage, Nubo is rain and wind resistant and offers sensor connectivity through an integrated wireless radio. Nubo also offers two-way audio which allows the user to communicate through the camera when an alert is triggered. It is now open for pre-order Europe-wide and will start shipping in Spring 2016.

Panasonic also introduced the world’s lightest*1 fully rugged handheld tablets for business. Its smallest Toughpad device to date, the 4.7 inch FZ-F1 (Windows) and FZ-N1 (AndroidTM) handhelds are designed for postal and courier workers, warehouse, retail, manufacturing, field services and the emergency services.

The device has both voice and data capabilities and an HD capacitive multi-touch daylight readable display designed for use in bright sunlight, the rain and by those wearing gloves. The devices can also be used with the optional passive or active pen and are equipped with both 4G LTE / 3G data and voice communications.

To close the event, Panasonic showcased Green Tower™, a comprehensive energy infrastructure management solution for increasing network reliability at reduced costs. Green Tower integrates Panasonic’s powerful Lithium-Ion battery and solar technology expertise with PowerOasis’ industry-leading management platform to provide network resiliency beyond grid availability with smart energy generation and storage, responsive control assets, and satellite connectivity for cellular communications and Wi-Fi cell sites. 

Provided as a managed Energy as a Service, Green Tower allows mobile operators to avoid capital expenditure, reduce operational costs, increase energy efficiency, and enhance reliability through a paradigm shift from traditional static power to intelligent real-time, remotely managed systems.

For more information on Panasonic’s business products, please visit the Panasonic stand at Mobile World Congress, Hall 6 Booth H31.

*1 As of 22nd February 2016, among handheld tablets which have 1.8m drop resistance, 4.7” and over display and dedicated barcode reader.