Open architectures and simplified management are at the core of iiyama’s digital signage strategy.

Technological openness, automation, and integration with IT environments are emerging as some of the key drivers shaping the future of digital signage. In this interview, Christian Tienemann, Business Development Manager, Professional Displays at iiyama, shares his perspective on the trends that will define the industry’s future and the challenges that manufacturers, integrators, and users will face in the years ahead.

The industry is talking extensively about AI, retail media, and personalization. Which technologies do you believe will generate sustainable business opportunities in digital signage over the next three years, and which do you still consider overrated?

Over the next two to three years, the real value of AI will lie in automated content adaptation and creation based on real-time data and information, such as weather conditions, warehouse inventory levels, sensor data, and predictive maintenance. For example, AI will be able to detect when a display is likely to fail and dispatch a technician before it goes offline.

We believe that one-to-one personalized engagement in public environments will not become widespread in the short term, meaning reality will remain far from the scenarios depicted in science fiction films. Strict European data protection regulations (GDPR) and consumer concerns about these practices will continue to limit their adoption.

The digital signage market is entering a phase of consolidation and increasing competitive pressure. How is your company evolving its strategy to differentiate beyond hardware or CMS platforms?

Hardware alone is no longer enough to stand out. Our strategy is built on three pillars: flexibility, openness, and an ecosystem-based approach to serving our customers.

With the iisignage² CMS, we provide a solid foundation for everyday digital signage applications. Our focus is on open operating systems such as Android and SoC solutions, which allow software to be integrated directly into the display. Although we also offer models with OPS slots, we prioritize open platforms so customers can use virtually any CMS compatible with our displays.

The real differentiation lies in the total cost of ownership, product longevity, and reliable B2B support, regardless of whether the customer is a large corporation or the local bakery around the corner.

The industry increasingly demands integration between AV, IT, data, and analytics. Do you believe the integration channel is prepared for this new environment, or does a significant technological gap still exist?

There is a noticeable difference. If you speak with the IT channel and system integrators, they are already familiar with data flows, network security, and cloud infrastructures. The AV channel is progressing faster than ever, and its professionals increasingly understand that complex data integration and analytics will become standard requirements in the future.

One positive trend we have observed is the growing number of specialists being trained within the AV channel. As a result, the industry will benefit from an increasing pool of experts in the coming years.

As a manufacturer, we see it as our responsibility to reduce these knowledge gaps through simplification and training. By designing hardware and software that integrate natively into existing IT infrastructures through standardized APIs, we can make this transformation much easier for our channel partners.

Sustainability is no longer limited to energy consumption. How does it influence your decisions regarding product design, manufacturing, maintenance, and the lifecycle of installations?

At iiyama, we view sustainability as a holistic process.

Design and materials, operation and lifecycle, and longevity are the three key areas in which we continuously work to improve.

• We increasingly prioritize recyclable materials, reduce the use of plastics, and implement more efficient and longer-lasting LED backlights. Certifications such as CE, TÜV GS, and RoHS are standard across our product portfolio. In addition, we once again achieved the EcoVadis Platinum rating this year.
• Operation and lifecycle: The most sustainable energy is the energy that is not consumed. Features such as automatic brightness adjustment and smart timer functions help reduce energy consumption and lower the carbon footprint during daily operation.
• Longevity: Through regular updates and long-term software support, we keep our platforms secure and functional for years. This allows customers to extend hardware replacement cycles and reduce electronic waste.

End users increasingly demand immersive and dynamic experiences while also expecting operational simplicity. How do you balance creativity, automation, and ease of management in today’s digital signage projects?

The secret lies in separating complexity from operation. The visual experience for the end user should be engaging, innovative, and even spectacular, whether through interactive touch displays or dynamic content. For the operator, however, software management must be as simple and intuitive as using a smartphone.

We achieve this through automation. Content creators can use iisignage² to build dashboards and templates, while content distribution, monitoring, and device management are handled centrally. The goal is for displays to operate autonomously, allowing customers to focus their attention on other strategic areas of their business.

Retail media and DOOH are increasingly converging with traditional digital signage. What real opportunities do you see emerging from this convergence, and what role will manufacturers and technology platforms play?

This convergence transforms digital signage from a question of return on investment (ROI) into a genuine revenue-generating opportunity.

The opportunity for retailers lies in turning traditional sales floor space into measurable advertising inventory. This requires a long-term commitment to the concept, but it is entirely achievable. Once retailers recognize the significant revenue potential it offers, adoption and implementation will become much easier.

Our role as a manufacturer is to provide displays designed specifically for DOOH applications, including 24/7 operation, high brightness levels for storefront windows, and reliable failover systems. In addition, our SoC platforms must remain open and flexible, supporting a wide variety of CMS and software solutions. This allows customers to manage displays directly through the integrated SoC platform without requiring additional external hardware.

If you had to define what a competitive digital signage platform will look like in 2030, which capabilities do you consider essential today?

To remain competitive in 2030, we must master several core competencies today:

• Security and remote management at the IT level: Secure, centralized device management (MDM) is essential, enabling large-scale OTA (Over-the-Air) updates while maintaining the highest security standards.
• Energy intelligence: Organizations must be able to monitor, report, and optimize the real-time energy consumption of every individual display and potentially all connected devices within their environment and network.
• API-First architecture: An open system should not require proprietary middleware to connect with software platforms. Modern digital signage is no longer just about playing video playlists or displaying images. An API-First architecture enables much more advanced use cases. For example, IoT-driven automation: imagine a camera in a retail store measuring customer density. If the store becomes overcrowded, a display at the entrance can automatically switch to a “Please wait a moment” message through an API-triggered workflow.
• Platform openness: Customers may rely on highly specialized CMS software or retail media platforms. Thanks to an API-First approach, these solutions can communicate directly with iiyama displays and iisignage² to retrieve device status information, adjust brightness levels, schedule actions, or remotely reboot screens.

No one knows which software platforms, sensors, or technologies customers will be using three to five years from now. With an API-First architecture, hardware remains ready for future innovations. System integrators do not need to develop complex custom integrations; they can simply connect to existing, well-documented interfaces.

Our primary objective for the future is to continue focusing on open systems that integrate naturally into customers’ existing IT and data infrastructures rather than adding new layers of complexity. Technology should simplify operations, not create new challenges.