ISE 2025 Roundup: Key Trends and Takeaways from the Show Floor

Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2025 last month in Barcelona drew thousands of professionals from across the AV and systems integration landscape. As the world’s leading AV industry trade show, ISE is where technologies are launched, partnerships are formed, and the future of AV takes shape.

Our team was on the ground throughout the event, meeting with manufacturers, system integrators, distributors, consultants, and end-users. From cloud integration to analytics, from asset management to evolving business models, key trends emerged (and our platform’s relevance across the value chain was abundantly clear). Below, we’ve gathered insights from several team members who attended ISE, each offering their perspective on what stood out and what’s coming next.

OEMs and APIs: Moving Toward Openness

Xyte CEO and Co-founder, Omer Brookstein, noticed a growing emphasis at ISE 2025 on openness and interoperability among device manufacturers. More and more OEMs are not only promoting their proprietary cloud platforms but are also developing on-premise gateways capable of aggregating data from third-party devices. This reflects a broader shift: manufacturers increasingly recognize that their customers expect systems to integrate seamlessly, regardless of brand.

Equally important, we saw APIs are becoming more modern and accessible. Companies such as Neat, Crestron, Biamp, and QSC are investing in better integration capabilities, providing their customers with smoother connections to external platforms.

Many system integrators, Omer noted, are rethinking their business models. The limitations of one-time hardware sales are clear, and the focus is shifting toward service-based offerings and recurring revenue.

Platform Consolidation: The Industry’s Holy Grail

A major takeaway from ISE 2025 was the industry’s desire to simplify and consolidate AV management. Xyte VP of Customer Success, Yael Herbst, noted that the concept of a unified platform - a “single pane of glass” for monitoring and controlling devices and spaces - resonated strongly with attendees across roles. As AV environments become more complex, the need for centralized tools that reduce fragmentation is growing rapidly.

Interest was especially high in features that improve operational efficiency, such as centralized asset management for both connected and non-connected devices, along with streamlined handling of warranties and documentation. Incident routing also stood out as a key capability. Attendees emphasized the importance of directing technical issues to the right teams quickly and automatically, particularly in large, multi-space deployments.

Flexibility also remains a priority. Integrators value tools that allow them to create custom drivers that ensure compatibility with a wide range of devices. 

Spotlight on Value: What the Market Wants  

ISE 2025 highlighted a clear demand for greater visibility, control, and efficiency in AV operations. Xyte VP Product, Ron Zaksh, noted that end-users and system integrators alike are seeking solutions that provide actionable insights into how rooms and devices are used, where issues are recurring, and how spaces can be optimized. Analytics around utilization, incident trends, and occupancy were consistently seen as valuable tools for improving both performance and decision-making.

Remote device management emerged as a priority, particularly the ability to send critical commands (like reboots and firmware updates) directly to devices. Asset management was another focal point, with strong interest in centralized handling of warranties, documentation, and non-connected devices.

Ran noted that, “There’s real interest in solutions that go beyond monitoring to offer control, analytics, and centralized management - all in one platform.” Customizable incident rules drew particular interest, offering integrators the flexibility to manage issues more efficiently at both the device and space level.

Serving the Full AV Ecosystem

ISE 2025 made it clear that unified AV management is a priority across the entire value chain - from manufacturers and distributors to integrators and end-users. Xyte Senior Product Manager, Jonathan Bhonker, noted that distributors in particular showed strong interest in offering platform-based solutions to their network of integrators, recognizing the growing demand for tools that simplify device management and service delivery.

Cross-platform integration was a key priority. Attendees emphasized the importance of pushing commands across cloud platforms, particularly with widely used providers like Cisco, Biamp, Poly, Yealink, Logitech, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. The ability to unify multi-vendor environments under a single interface is increasingly viewed as essential. 

Analytics also emerged as a critical differentiator. Jonathan noted that end-users are seeking data on space utilization and system uptime, while integrators and manufacturers value incident tracking by device model, type, and performance, with growing attention on sustainability metrics like power efficiency.

The Bottom Line

ISE 2025 made it clear that the AV industry is entering a new phase - driven by the need for integration, actionable insight, and flexible service delivery. Across the show floor, attendees highlighted a common challenge: managing complex environments with limited visibility and too many disconnected tools. In response, manufacturers are embracing open APIs, and integrators are exploring new recurring revenue models. The focus is now on platforms that unify control, simplify operations, and provide data that drives better decisions.

Solutions that offer centralized asset management, cloud interoperability, and customizable incident handling are no longer seen as nice-to-have - they are becoming essential. The ability to serve every stakeholder through a single, adaptable platform is now a key market driver.

ISE 2025 validated that the AV industry is ready for change - and that those offering the tools to support that transformation will be well positioned to lead. The opportunity to deliver value across the AV ecosystem has never been greater.