Acer, one of the world’s top five computer makers, arrived at the IFA 2025 technology expo in Berlin with a strategy that went well beyond the usual parade of devices.
Its launches of AI-driven laptops, gaming hardware and sustainable designs at the world’s largest consumer technology fair by visitor count carried extra weight thanks to their extraordinary timing.
A week earlier, Acer had introduced the first Google TV media box built in South Africa, linking its international showcase to a new experiment in local production. South Africa is usually the recipient of technology long after the rest of the world, so Acer’s decision to debut a product here before anywhere else raised eyebrows.
Emmanuel Fromont, Acer president for Europe, Middle East and Africa, told Business Times in an exclusive interview at IFA that the decision began with a local hunch.
“More and more we see that the one approach fits all doesn’t work everywhere, and especially for Africa,” said Fromont. “South Africa is a perfect example. The local organisation saw that Google TV could be an interesting angle. They had the right partner and supply chain, and we worked with our headquarters to select the right product. Google liked the idea, so we launched there first.”
The first one that had the vision was the South African country manager. Now we are already looking at launching the same product in many other countries.
— Emmanuel Fromont, Acer president for Europe, Middle East and Africa
Fromont said rather than being a top-down strategy, it reflected trust in local vision. “The first one that had the vision was the South African country manager. Now we are already looking at launching the same product in many other countries.”
That sense of localisation is central to how Acer is repositioning itself. In Johannesburg, monitors are already assembled locally. In Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, similar small-scale operations respond to tariffs and government demands. Fromont acknowledged that tariffs were a key reason for local assembly of monitors, but that capacity could now be roped in to other consumer technology.
The IFA theme for 2025, “Imagine the Future,” created the backdrop for Acer’s announcements. In the IFA opening press conference, Sara Warneke, CEO of IFA co-organisers GFU Consumer & Home Electronics, told the media that technology markets were recovering.
“Despite headwinds, the market is returning to growth, with total sales reaching $403bn [about R7.2-trillion] in the first half of 2025, up 4.6% year on year,” she said.
The strongest momentum came from IT and office technology, up 9.2%, and telecoms, up 4.1%. Emerging markets drove much of this value. Warneke pointed to Latin America and the Middle East and Africa as regions expanding at mid-single digits. Consumers were more deliberate in their spending, she said, choosing durability, quality and useful new features over impulse.
For Acer, those insights are crucial. Fromont said Africa required a sharper focus on affordability and connectivity. “We launched a more affordable class of products in Western Europe that may be 10% of my shipments. In Africa it may be 60% or 70%.”
Connectivity is another differentiator. “We have more and more products with LTE embedded, because we understand Wi-Fi may not be pervasive. LTE is mostly demanded by Africa.”
Acer knows that technology must be matched with purchasing power. “Africa has a lot of growth,” said Fromont. “But if you want to be successful, you also need to develop a certain class of fairly entry product. It is very driven to be competitive.”
That reality shapes the balance between sustainability and price. Acer’s Vero line, designed with recycled plastics and modularity, has not taken off in emerging markets. “Was Vero very successful in Africa? No,” said Fromont. “We are cascading sustainability into mainstream products. Now almost all our PCs have 30% PCR plastic, some even 60%, but we are not asking people to pay for it.”
It also explains the significance of the Johannesburg Google TV box. Local assembly reduces costs and tariffs, while building supply chain resilience. Said Fromont: “We used to be a sales and marketing organisation buying from Asia. Now more and more we have our own say in building. We don’t own the factory, but we have deep partnerships and we co-design products together.”
This echoes comments by Glenn du Toit, Acer South Africa country manager, at the Comic Con Africa expo in Johannesburg last week. Talking about the Google TV box, he told Business Times: “When a product is made here, it shows faith in the skills and capabilities available in South Africa. It demonstrates that global companies see value in localising, not only for cost reasons but for resilience and agility.”
The experiments in South Africa are small, but they point to a future where emerging markets are test beds for both product innovation and supply chain adaptation. Acer is hiring locally in Kenya and Tanzania, hosting reseller events, and laying groundwork for a more permanent footprint.
Fromont is cautious but optimistic: “In the next three to five years, I believe I will have at least one or two people in every major country. Engagement needs to be local. If I send someone from Dubai, it’s not credible. But with people on the ground, we can start to win tenders and build partnerships.”
For IFA as a whole, Warneke emphasised that this global-local dynamic is now part of the DNA of the tech industry. “Innovation with tangible benefit, prices with restraint and communication with clear messages,” she said in summing up consumer expectations.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.