The demand for standard digital signage kiosk solutions and standard interactive totems remains disappointing. European brands prefer individual design and QSR chains require complex backend system connections as well as country-specific certified payment systems. So far, there has been no relevant market for off-the-shelf kiosk systems. But the market is changing.
It is hardly surprising that demand for low-cost order terminals with run-of-the-mill design remains limited in Europe. In the tough retail reality, kiosks must be robust, meet European cyber security requirements, and the screens must offer sufficient brightness. Retailers are very demanding when it comes to design and workmanship – most of the cheapest “Made in China” products are therefore not competitive in Europe.
Table top form factor not very popular so far
In recent years, Samsung and LG launched table top kiosk solutions with limited success outside of their home market. Table top solutions are technically sophisticated and secure, but the form factor is really only popular in East Asia and has not yet been established in Western markets. The real challenge, however, lies in the lack of connection to country-specific peripherals.
Kiosk systems are transaction terminals that are typically supplemented by payment terminals, receipt printers, barcode scanners, and other peripherals. Every retail or transport company requires its own special suppliers, every country has its own payment regulations, accessibility requirements differ, not to mention cultural UI preferences. Standards remain pure wishful thinking.
But the digital signage world keeps turning and Korea’s electronics companies have listened. In addition to Tizen, Samsung now also offers Windows, which makes certified peripheral compatibility much easier. In addition, Samsung implements its IoT platform Samsung Smart Things Pro, providing a framework that enables the secure and easy connection of peripherals.
With its Knox security platform, Samsung offers globally recognized and certified encryption, even if not all mobile security features have yet to be integrated into Samsung’s digital signage solutions. The Korean global market leader has obviously understood the challenges facing European customers. It is not yet known if and when a new generation of kiosks can be expected.
Display sizes are also changing and are increasingly dominating the design. Self-checkout solutions at Inditex are sometimes equipped with touchscreens up to 42″, while displays on public transport ticket machines are growing to 32″. Larger screens offer more space for information, more intuitive operation, and are easier to design to be barrier-free. The European Accessibility Act will come into force in summer 2025, which for the first time defines the same standards for accessibility across Europe. Analogous to the US ADA regulation, the EAA sets clear standards for the accessibility of products and services.
To enable accessibility, kiosk systems must be accessible to both standing and sitting users. In the future, monolithic totem solutions will be less in demand for indoor use than today. A new potential for table top design with variable stands and pedestals.
European solutions – from Alpine Kiosk to Vangenhassend
The Austrian industrial automation specialist Reingroup offers a modular kiosk kit system. The modular solution Alpine Kiosk can be easily adapted to customer requirements and upgraded with current hardware after a few years.
The two German suppliers E-Kiosk from Dresden and Pyramid from Freiburg, on the other hand, have been firmly established in the market for years as classic full-service kiosk providers. Tailor-made customer solutions are developed, tested in prototype construction and also assembled in small series. The production of larger quantities is outsourced to cheaper foreign countries.
Originating from static wayguiding, Vangenhassend develops wayfinding and information systems that can also be used digitally and interactively. Here, too, tailor-made solutions in individual company designs are developed and produced primarily according to customer specifications.
