Kontron and Apios launch open, white-label IFE&C platform to give airlines more control and flexibility
The new solution aims to give airlines and integrators unprecedented control over system design and supplier choice, removing the dependency on single-vendor architectures that have long constrained cabin innovation
Kontron, a leading global provider of IoT/Embedded Computer Technology (ECT), and Apios, digital cabin innovator, today announce a strategic, non-exclusive collaboration to deliver an open, white-label in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC/IFC) platform. The new solution aims to give airlines and integrators unprecedented control over system design and supplier choice, removing the dependency on single-vendor architectures that have long constrained cabin innovation.
The jointly developed platform combines Kontron’s avionics-grade servers, wireless access points (WAPs), and MODMAN/AMU solutions with Apios’s seatback displays, in-seat power, and digital cabin systems. It enables a fully modular, plug-and-play approach designed to integrate seamlessly with third-party hardware and software, reduce weight and complexity, and support multi-orbit Ka/Ku satellite connectivity.
“Airlines want choice, flexibility, and open architecture,” said Jon Moseley, VP Business Development Avionics, Kontron. “This collaboration with Apios makes that vision real, allowing customers to mix and match the best technologies without being locked in.”
“Apios has always championed an open, white-label, customer-first model,” added David Thomas, CEO, Apios. “Together with Kontron’s avionics pedigree, we’re setting a new benchmark: a truly agnostic platform that lowers cost, increases control, and is ready for the future of satellite communications.”
The initiative supports wider connected cabin goals across the aerospace industry, creating a unified wired and wireless backbone for both data and power distribution. OEMs and system providers can deploy it as a managed open ecosystem — enabling rapid integration of cabin systems, connectivity hardware, and passenger services.
“Just as Android reshaped consumer technology, this partnership represents a paradigm shift in aviation,” said David Thomas. “It embodies openness, innovation, and most importantly, the ability for airlines to define their own digital future.”
Kontron and Apios are inviting OEMs, system integrators, and technology partners to help advance the platform and drive a new era of openness in the connected cabin.
