SVP Product and Marketing Andy Masson poses with the new screens, which look exactly like the old screens, as planned (image via PAC)
What’s new is old again. That is, in a way, the message Panasonic Avionics sent with the launch of its eXNeo* inflight entertainment solution last week at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2026 last week. It was not the sexiest product launched at the show; not by a long shot. But it threads the needle on bringing a much needed solution to the industry, delivering real benefits to passengers and airlines on a reasonable timeline and at a reasonable price point.
Airlines want to keep stuff going for longer. They love the new stuff, but they are worried about the fact that they have hundreds of airplanes of the old stuff. It is somewhat boring sounding, but a very relevant industrial problem.
– Andy Masson, SVP Product and Strategy, Panasonic Avionics
Airlines are developing custom applications to deploy on IFE, with targeted offers and information. Games are more dynamic, with graphics needs well beyond trivia and memory matching taps. Moving maps are a massively different beast than what was flying when eX3 launched, with graphics and compute performance needs to match (perhaps even enough to see an airline swap map vendors on the legacy hardware due to performance challenges).
Airlines simply cannot delivery a common passenger experience across a large, mixed fleet. At least not a good, common experience.
Upgrading the IFE is an obvious solution, but that comes at a significant cost. And, these days, it also comes with significant regulatory challenges. Re-certifying a seat with the new screens is theoretically straightforward. It is something manufacturers have done for years. Over the past 12-18 months, however, that process became much more complicated. Programs saw significant delays (hi, Allegris!). The manufacturers and airlines alike need another option.
Enter eXNeo.
A trio of monitors will launch the new Panasonic Avionics eXNeo product line, available for install in 2027
eXNeo is a direct replacement solution for existing eX1 and eX3 screens. That’s still the predominant PAC solution flying today; it represents 50% of screens to be delivered this year. Deploying a screen that you know won’t provide the desired passenger experience is a rough spot for airlines to be in. And unlike the more modern IFE screens, the eX series hardware was not built for modularity.
eXNeo aims to address that, taking the existing screens and separating the beauty from the brains. The glass part that the passenger interacts with remains the same (critical for the certification side of the challenge), but the processing bits behind the screen are all new.
Primo Performance
The original screens fly today with a processor several generations old, integrated video processing, and 2-4 GB of RAM. With eXNeo the processor becomes current generation and graphics handling is offloaded to a dedicated GPU. Memory on board jumps to 16 GB. Bluetooth 6.0+ BLE joins the cabin, replacing older chipsets or, in some cases, adding the option for the first time.
And the results are dramatic. PAC showed off the updated system by loading its Arc moving map interface on the two screens side-by-side. SVP Product and Strategy Andy Masson demonstrated a full minute of interactive engagement on the eXNeo model before the eX1 screen had the map loaded. Bemoan software bloat all you want, but the functionality is also massively better. The eXNeo screens perform on par with Astrova screens, though the architecture differs slightly. Movie lists scroll smoothly. Modern games can now be played in the system. Map textures and rendering is night and day different.
And, because it is a drop-in solution, installation is easy. Panasonic provides the technicians to perform the screen swap on an overnight sit at an airport rather than grounding the plane for a few days.
Boosting the Backend
Airlines can keep the on-board eX series server if they want. They also have an option to further boost the available software options and system performance with a head-end upgrade. The eXNeo screens can run against both the Astrova and Converix back-end servers. This is particularly important where airlines want to enable connectivity on the IFE screens (e.g. dynamic updating of ads, connecting gate information, IROPs messaging to passengers, etc.).
Masson shares that several selected that option, including airlines switching to newer inflight internet solutions. That connected IFE experience needs the upgraded head-end and the work can be performed in parallel with the new WIFi install. Those planes are ready for the new screens as soon as PAC can deliver them. The target delivery date is next year, impressively quick for the IFE/C world.
Partial Solution
Perhaps the only downside of the eXNeo option is that the aircraft do not go out to bid for a full system upgrade. A competing vendor noted this takes those planes off the market for a competing bid and shifts the timeline of expected replacement cycles. PAC sees things differently. eXNeo as a way to extend the life of older aircraft programs. It targets airlines that must keep an aging fleet around a few years longer than planned, awaiting new aircraft and seat deliveries. The company will not sell eXNeo to new customers today.
But there are still a lot of eX series planes in service and a lot of screens to still be delivered. PAX sees this as a stop-gap measure, delivering for planes that likely would not have gone out for a new full system bid anyways.
It is unlikely passengers will recognize the switch as it happens. At best, they might not be annoyed at the IFE system performance. It is very hard to notice not being annoyed.
But NPS/CSAT numbers are likely to improve, as are revenues around targeted advertising and upsells. That’s hard to argue with, even if it doesn’t look all that different in the seats.
*New Electronics Option, rather than new engine option. Presumably also fewer risks related to metal quality in compressor fan blades.
Did you enjoy the content? Or learn something useful? Or generally just think this is the type of story you'd like to see more of? Consider supporting the site through a donation (any amount helps). It helps keep me independent and avoiding the credit card schlock.
Seth Miller has over a decade of experience covering the airline industry. With a strong focus on passenger experience, Seth also has deep knowledge of inflight connectivity and loyalty programs. He is widely respected as an unbiased commentator on the aviation industry.
He is frequently consulted on innovations in passenger experience by airlines and technology providers.
Leave a Reply