Emirates announces new GUI to enhance in-flight entertainment

Dubai, April 11, 2012 (WAM) - Emirates Airline announced the launch of a new, enhanced, Graphical User Interface (GUI) developed by Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic). This new GUI will make accessing Emirates' award-winning in-flight entertainment system, ice Digital Widescreen, simpler to use - information, communication and entertainment - all at the passenger's fingertips. The carrier, in a press release, said the new GUI which is in line with its ongoing in-flight product improvements will be introduced within two weeks across Emirates' A380 fleet and subsequently over the next year across the majority of Emirates' Boeing 777 aircraft. It will be available in all classes of service, an Emirates standard. As the world's largest operator of the A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft, Emirates will upgrade all aircraft equipped with the Panasonic eX2 platform; designed and produced with (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems. Always at the forefront of in-flight innovation, Emirates will roll-out a number of additional in-flight product enhancements across the next few months as part of a multi-million dollar investment in onboard technology. Larger video screens, in all classes, will come into operation from May on new Boeing 777 aircraft, in addition to future Airbus A380 deliveries. An enhanced in-seat telephone handset and new Mode Controller in First Class and Business Class will also be introduced, ensuring a more seamless customer experience. The new GUI is unique to Emirates airline and includes a wide range of advanced capabilities that enhances the distinctiveness and elegance of Emirates' in-flight system, ice Digital Widescreen. The new ice experience includes the capability for passengers to discover the full entertainment system by "swiping" or "scrolling" through the vast library of media and entertainment that is available on Emirates, send SMS and email messages, explore the moving map system, Airshow, watch the in-flight landscape cameras, and access live text news from the BBC. Since Emirates first introduced individual seatback video screens in 1992, it has invested millions of dollars in further onboard product enhancements, from the latest IFE technology, to an ever increasing choice of entertainment content from around the world. Emirates is also committed to keeping its passengers the most connected in the sky. Every seat on all Emirates aircraft is already equipped with a seatback telephone and sms/email service and 90 aircraft feature the AeroMobile system, allowing passengers to use their own mobile phones in-flight. In another investment in the Emirates experience, Wi-Fi connectivity for passengers was introduced to the A380 fleet in December 2011 and is now available on 18 aircraft. All remaining Emirates A380s are due to have Wi-Fi installed this year and from July of 2012 all new A380s will be delivered to Emirates with full Wi-Fi, mobile phone and data services available, allowing the Emirates passenger to be in touch like never before. - Emirates News Agency, WAM