(t4h.) Tech4home, a global leader in remote control solutions and sustainable home-entertainment technologies, has announced that the Olo M5e Solar Remote Control, developed in close collaboration with Portuguese operator MEO, has been recognised with the iF Design Award 2026 in the Product Design – TV/Video category. The accolade completes the coveted ‘triple crown’ of design excellence , holding the German Design Award, the Red Dot Award, and the iF Design Award on a single product, making the Olo M5e t4h.’s most recognised remote control unit to date.
The iF Design Award, judged annually by an international panel of design experts, recognises products that demonstrate excellence across design quality, functionality, and innovation. For the Olo M5e, the recognition reflects the deliberate, end-to-end approach taken to develop a product that is as considered in its engineering as it is in its aesthetics.
A record built over time
The Olo M5e’s recognition has grown steadily since its launch. It first earned a Red Dot Award across two categories, Innovative Products and TV and Home Entertainment, followed by the German Design Award 2025 and the German Innovation Award 2025. The Muse Design Awards 2025 followed, in the Product Design – Media & Home Electronics. The iF Design Award now brings the Olo M5e’s total to five major international accolades.
Together, the German Design Award, Red Dot Award, and iF Design Award represent the three most prominent design honours in the European arena. Achieving all three on a single product is uncommon, and makes the Olo M5e the most decorated product in t4h.’s portfolio.
The product behind the recognition
For too long, “sustainable” has been treated as a category apart; products that do less environmental harm, but ask customers to notice, or care, or tolerate something. The Olo M5e dismantles that framing. It never asks the person holding it to think about the solar cell, the recycled casing, or the absent battery. It just works. Beautifully, indefinitely, without compromise.
The Olo M5e was conceived around a practical ambition: removing disposable batteries from PayTV households without asking users to change the way they interact with their television. At its core is an ultra-thin bifacial photovoltaic panel that harvests both natural and artificial light. For environments with limited exposure, USB-C charging provides a reliable fallback. The unit’s housing is made from 100% recycled plastic, reinforcing the circular-economy principles that informed the project from the outset.
Equal care was given to usability. A slim, ergonomic form factor and an intuitively organised key layout ensure comfort in daily use, while a dedicated MEO key preserves the continuity of the operator’s branded experience. The result is a device that advances sustainability without asking end-users to notice the difference.
“The iF Design Award is a meaningful recognition, not only because of the award itself, but because of what it represents alongside the others. The Olo M5e was built with a great deal of intention, by our team and by MEO, and to see that work acknowledged across three of the most respected design platforms in the world is something we are genuinely proud of. This is a milestone for the product, and for how we approach our work.” – Graça Cândido, Commercial Director & Co-Founder at t4h.
Setting the Benchmark for Next-Generation Pay-TV Devices
As pay-TV operators face increasing pressure to differentiate, reduce environmental footprint, and deliver premium experiences, the Olo M5e provides a compelling blueprint: that the remote control, the most ubiquitous device in the home, can be engineered to meet the highest standards of design, sustainability, and user value simultaneously.
“The launch of the M5e Solar Remote Control represents MEO’s commitment to sustainable innovation and excellence in user experience. Designed to eliminate the environmental impact of disposable batteries, this remote control integrates cutting-edge technology and award-winning design, guaranteeing our customers an eco-friendly solution without sacrificing functionality or comfort.” – Tiago Silva Lopes, Director of Products and Services at MEO
t4h. continues to build on this momentum, advancing its mission to transform the remote control from a passive accessory into a strategic platform for engagement, differentiation, and long-term operator value.
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