Sharp Corporation is proud to announce that it has won three 2023 iF Design Awards: for the AQUOS XLED EP1/FV1 Line 4K TV, the AQUOS R7 smartphone, and the compound solar module for future mobility.

Launched in 1953, the iF Design Award is one of the world’s most prestigious product design awards. It is organized by the iF International Forum Design GmbH, an international group based in Hannover, Germany that promotes outstanding design. For 2023, the iF Design Award recognized outstanding design in nine disciplines*1 and drew nearly 11,000 entries—a record high—from 56 countries. The entries were judged based on five main criteria: form, idea, function, differentiation, and impact.

In the Product discipline, which covers a wide range of physical products including consumer electronics, furniture, and medical equipment, Sharp was awarded for the AQUOS XLED EP1/FV1 Line 4K TV and the AQUOS R7 smartphone. In the Professional Concept discipline, which recognizes never-before-seen innovative ideas and experimental concepts, Sharp’s compound solar module for future mobility was awarded.

Sharp remains committed to not only designing products that are visually appealing and easy to use, but to offering the world products, services, and solutions whose usage brings happiness to people’s lives.

＜iF Design Award website＞https://ifdesign.com/en/

■ Highlights of the Award-winning Products

• AQUOS XLED EP1/FV1 Line 4K TV

With a backlight of mini LEDs laid at high density, and incorporating quantum dot semiconductors made with a new material, this AQUOS TV achieves peak brightness more than triple that of Sharp’s conventional model*3, and an approximate 20% increase in the color gamut*4. With speakers on the top and bottom of the screen, the dynamic images capable of superior control of light and dark combine with the immersive acoustic field to practically put the viewer inside what’s onscreen. The thin 1-mm aluminum bezel reflects the tones surrounding the TV and harmonizes it with the living space, thus reducing ambient visual noise and accentuating the onscreen images.

See more: https://corporate.jp.sharp/news/221025-b.html(in Japanese only)

iF Design Award page:https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/sharp-aquos-xled-ep1fv1-line/546768

• AQUOS R7 Smartphone

The new 1-inch image sensor gives superior light intake ability and dramatically faster auto focus. This means users can instantly focus on even moving subjects so they never miss capturing the moment, and they get photos that express the unique atmosphere, whatever the time of day and whether indoors or outdoors. The rounded, iconically designed camera is centered at the top of the phone, making it easier to capture the photo subject head on. The highly intuitive camera app makes it more enjoyable for users to take high-quality pictures. The display is Sharp’s Pro IGZO OLED, which can depict 1 billion gradations and give vivid color expression, and boasts a 1 Hz to 240 Hz refresh rate for smooth display and energy efficiency.

See more: https://corporate.jp.sharp/news/220509-e.html(in Japanese only)

iF Design Award page:https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/sharp-aquos-r7/545866

• Compound Solar Module for Future Mobility

To solve energy supply problems in a wide range of fields, in addition to widely used silicon solar cells, Sharp has developed solar cells using three technologies: dye-sensitized, perovskite, and compound. Compound solar cells’ benefits include light weight, high efficiency, and the ability to conform to curved surfaces. They already implemented the widespread usage on artificial satellites*5, but also hold high hopes for use in aerospace, EVs, and other applications in the fields of mobility. To this end, Sharp has applied its triple-junction compound solar cell module to conduct demonstration experiments with national research institutes, car makers, and other organizations. This and other efforts have resulted in the achievement of the world’s highest*6 conversion efficiency of 32.65%. The iF Design Award recognizes Sharp’s concrete vision of achieving a net-zero society by visualizing a future in which solar cells are used on vehicles such as stratospheric aircraft and EVs, and in fields such as logistics and robotics, based on a concept "To power all mobility with just solar energy".

Sharp energy solutions:https://global.sharp/solar/en/

iF Design Award page:https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/sharp-compound-solar-module-for-future-mobility/574902