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EAG organisers have been congratulated for ‘keeping on trend’ and being at the very forefront of the latest trends in social, competitive and immersive entertainment.

The accolade comes from Steve Ware, managing director and founder of SingPods whose ingenious karaoke booth system was one of the stand-out innovations seen on the show floor. The feedback from SingPod’s debut appearance was hugely positive with the company re-booking for 2026.

The SIE Expo features some of the key technologies that are driving immersive entertainment. The first edition of the event in 2025 was supported by leading names including 501, Holovis, and Game Volt. 

SingPods used SIE Expo to  showcase its private, state-of-the-art karaoke booths and took the opportunity to introduce the new SingPod Arcade Mini, a stylish, wall-mounted unit that makes karaoke accessible in even the smallest of spaces.

Expanding on the potential that exists for SIE Expo Steve Ware said: “It makes total sense, that's exactly where we fit and I think it has the potential to be four or five times as big next year. ” 

“The show reignited conversations with some large nationwide chains, and it also started conversations with new ones. And we found completely new contacts that we would never have come across.

“It also gave us the chance to invite people we’d been speaking with about SingPods down to the show to actually see the product in action” added Ware. 

SingPods first entered the market in 2020, and the challenges of COVID have shaped its development.

“So just as the world was locking down, I was building the first pod in a world where there were no events. 

“It's one of those unique concepts. I built it and put it out there, and then companies like Sky and Magnum, the BBC and Spotify were getting in touch to hire it. And I thought, okay, we’ve got something here.” 

Essentially, the system allows venues to instantly add karaoke to their spaces, without needing to build rooms, source equipment, or worry about soundproofing. 

“We've got a few different sizes and offerings,” says Ware. “There are curvy ones which can be fully wrapped, like a big billboard. And then we've got our box pod, which is more square and goes up in size from two metres to four metres squared. We also do custom builds, like the Shower Pod, where the shower head is the mic.”

Competitive socialising venues such as bowling alleys and activity bars represent key markets alongside more generic pubs, holiday parks and attractions where it’s a case of offering karaoke as an in-venue opportunity to generate revenue and increase dwell-time.

Explaining the flexibility of the offer Ware states: “We traditionally offer a lease and licence, where the venue takes all the revenue. We've just introduced purchasing so venues own the asset, and license the system, software and the songs with us. We're also launching a rental system for those who just want to give it a go, and with the right type of venue, we'll also do a joint venture where we share the initial costs, put the pod in, and then split the profits.”

And the profits are often significant. 

“It varies, but a venue with a SingPod could be earning between £250 and maybe £1,200 a week,” says Ware. 

“Depending on how well they market it, and the type of people that are in there's good scope to earn with a SingPod. We generally find that venues promoting the SingPods or the karaoke experience as a pre-bookable activity will see anywhere between a 50 percent and a 100 percent uplift in bookings.” 

To book a SingPod, visitors simply scan a QR code and use Apple Pay or Google Pay to purchase times or song credits. The system then texts a PIN code, which activates the Pod at the booked time.

Perhaps not surprisingly experience has shown that wet sales increase significantly as punters seek some Dutch courage before belting out a song. SingPod also doubles up as a photo booth that can be branded often ending up on social media or shared with friends.

Expanding on the brand’s exhibition strategy Steve Ware says: “We are born and bred in the UK, and everything we build is made in Britain. So it's very much keeping ourselves there, in the picture for people looking for karaoke.

“We've tried several shows, and EAG was up there for us for opening doors and reigniting conversations.

“The PubCos and bar owners are starting to understand that they need to put things like this in place to make their money and keep people there.”

“Everybody's looking at how they can introduce this kind of social, immersive experience to their places, because Gen Z are necessarily not drinking in quite the same way as, say, I would when I went out. 

“And people are looking for activities, for things to do. Many people don’t have as much money, so when they do spend it, they want a real experience, and not just, you know, spend it on food and drink. They want something to go alongside that.” 

Looking ahead to January he adds: “Our constant aim is innovation. So, what people will see at EAG next year will be entirely different from last year. There are going to be so many more cool features which we will bring along.”

Whilst the details are currently confidential, Ware does offer a teaser referencing the deployment of AI on both audio and visual.

So, what advice would he give to companies that are thinking about exhibiting?

“Big exhibitions are never cheap, but when you've got the calibre of people in the room at the same time, then it's definitely worth the investment.”