UK chain Halfords today has announced that it will no longer be selling Analog in-car radios from 2015 as the company is looking to move forward in the new digital age by saying goodbye to analog radio.
The announcement has been made by the company and it adds a major push to the ongoing movement away from analog radio system towards the new digital technologies.
The UK has already successfully switched its TV services across the country to digital services, but the long-standing switch from analog on the radio is seen as a much bigger task.
Halfords is the leading supplier of car audio products so the switch to digital only-signals will be a major step in the movement. By 2015 Halfords will offer only digital receivers and will continue to fit them into customers’ vehicles.
CEO Matt Davies announced the changes today at the Go Digital Conference in London; “Halfords is committed to a digital future and I am pleased to announce today that we are planning for our audio offer to be 100% digital by 2015.”
The move came as Government Minster Ed Vaizey declared that digital was the future for radio in the UK and announced a series of initiatives that will help drive the spread of digital listening.
Mr Davies added: “We welcome Government commitment to digital radio’s future. Our customers tell us that they want more certainty on when the switchover will happen. This announcement will help.”
Last year Halfords carried out 4 million fitting jobs in its stores of which 130,000 were audio installations, and the stores also offer “while you wait” radio fitting, where customers book a slot at a local store.
Halfords has developed its own exclusive brand of products and is offering digital converter kits. Prices start from £49 and fitting costs £29.99.