"Philips Mobiles has a robust roadmap for Indian Consumers"

 S. S. Bassi,
Country Manager - SAARC Sangfei

In India, the smartphone market is growing at a significant pace and the consumer buying patterns and preferences are continuously evolving. There is a huge opportunity as well as competition in the entry to mid-level smartphone segment, which is where the volumes are. Historically, there has been a trend pointing towards the shrinking size of devices which are able to assume multiple functions. For instance, devices such as tablets, smartphones, laptops, etc have gained popularity in the recent past. This being the trend, the phablet is certainly picking up amongst the Indian customers. But we have to wait for some more time to see the actual impact on the smartphone industry. Elaborating further on the Indian market trends, the company’s sales strategy and future plans for India, S. S. Bassi, Country Manager SAARC Sangfei (which recently launched Philips Mobiles in India) has had an interaction with VARINDIA recently. He said, “Judging by the current state of the phablet market, we do not see it substituting smartphones in the near future. Rather, we believe phablets will create a different category for itself.”
The popularity of tablets is growing in India due to its multiple uses and the convenience it provides in terms of portability and costs (when compared to a laptop). This has been fuelled by the growing popularity of 3G services in India which allows users to access internet from any location. Additionally, the education sector is driving the use of tablets to eliminate the need for textbooks and provide a better quality of education in general for students. Today, tablets are available with manufacturers. While the market is on the rise, the use of tablets still remains largely with the upper class and it will be a matter of time before the market reaches the tipping point.

Sangfei’s Distribution Network
Sangfei has recently started with channel sales and is aiming to move to retail and e-commerce in the coming months. Presently, the company’s distributor in India is Redington. Sangfei is also working with Accel Frontline which has about 165 service centres across India and will provide support.

Sangfei’s Strategy to connect Indian Masses
While India is a price-sensitive market, Sangfei believes that there is a market for quality products. The company’s strategy in this light involves providing quality at an affordable price. Additionally, Sangfei’s phones are of broad categories catering to every kind of user.
S. S. Bassi adds to this, “We are confident of our ability to provide a unique product, backed by state-of-the art manufacturing, and differentiated features will give us a competitive edge from other players in the smartphone space. Our strong product portfolio caters to high-end smartphone users and technology enthusiasts, those seeking to make a style statement with their stylish fashion-driven phones, the victory professional for those who require long standby battery hours and the essential features which cater to those who need a basic mobile phone.”

Sangfei’s Future Plans for Indian Mobile Device Market
Sangfei is planning to be a sizeable player in the Indian market. That is why it is putting a robust roadmap for India suited for the Indian consumers. It is aiming to be among the six largest handset vendors in India in the first year. Further, in the coming year, it is planning to bring smartphones in the six-inch screen size bracket along with a few smartphones in the mid-end segment.
satinder@varindia.com