Latest news with #RaviKunwar
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
HMD to foray in India's sub-₹10,000 5G smartphone segment: Ravi Kunwar
NEW DELHI: HMD said India remains a key market for the brand from a revenue contribution and manufacturing perspective, and it is working with both mainline and digital commerce platforms to sell handsets. 'For us, India remains a key focus market as a brand. To meet the specific needs of Indian consumers, we have introduced several devices tailored for this market, including HMD-branded and Nokia devices. We are also preparing to launch a new 5G smartphone priced under ₹10,000, targeting the high demand for affordable devices in India,' Ravi Kunwar, vice-president (VP) & CEO, HMD India and APAC, told ETTelecom . 'India remains our largest market by resources and financial contribution, and we are committed to expanding our operations, partnerships, and product offerings to strengthen our market position in both feature phones and smartphones,' he added. ETTelecom in its February 7, 2025, edition, reported that the sub-₹10,000 5G smartphone shipments may contribute to the overall industry's volumes despite multiple challenges, albeit in single digits. The brand is present in more than 1 lakh traditional or mainline retail stores in India, but it is now 'significantly working' with both e-commerce platforms, such as Amazon, and quick-commerce channels, including Blinkit, Kunwar said. HMD's brand e-store, according to him, is expanding and strengthening in terms of product availability and distribution channels. 'Our strategy involves working closely with distributors and retailers, offering comprehensive support and incentives, as well as engaging in robust marketing activities to optimize reach and execution, especially ahead of major sales cycles,' he said. The top executive's comments come at a time when HMD is scaling back its operations in the USA amid a 'challenging geopolitical and economic environment', the international media reported recently. HMD, in 2016, had bought the Nokia feature phone business from Microsoft and had also secured a license to sell Nokia-branded smartphones and tablets, particularly in the mid-range segment. However, HMD Global is now focused on selling smartphones under its own brand and exploring white-label manufacturing opportunities. This followed after HMD signed an agreement with Finnish Nokia in 2023 to ramp down the smartphone business, with which it had forayed into the market in 2016. READ MORE | Sub-$100 smartphone to boost affordability, experience, 5G shift: Qualcomm's Savi Soin '95% of our devices are manufactured in India. Over the past couple of years, we've also started exporting these 'Made in India' devices to other countries,' Kunwar said. 'India is not only our manufacturing hub but also the most important market for us from both a business perspective and a growth opportunity standpoint,' he added. Prachir Singh, a senior analyst with Counterpoint Research, told ETTelecom that HMD, including its Nokia-branded smartphones, has maintained a low market share in India, primarily due to a limited product lineup, weak channel engagement, and declining consumer recall. 'The brand hit a peak in Q2 2023. However, its share remained below 1%. HMD officially entered the Indian smartphone market under its own branding in Q3 2024 with the Crest and Crest Max series. However, these models struggled to gain traction amid intense competition and a crowded value segment,' Singh said. As a result, HMD presently has a marginal presence in India, with the brand 'significantly outpaced by more aggressive and better-positioned rivals', he added. Kunwar said that in the feature phone segment, the brand is currently 'number one in value and a close number two in volume', making this category a strong performer for the company in India.
Hans India
28-04-2025
- Business
- Hans India
‘Make in India' booster: HMD Global to launch Direct-to-Mobile phones in country
Mumbai: In a significant step towards empowering India's technological landscape, HMD Global, in collaboration with Free Stream Technologies (incubated at IIT Kanpur), Tejas Networks, and other partners, on Monday announced plans to meet the growing demand for Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) phones in India. The groundbreaking announcement is set to be made at the 'World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit' (WAVES) 2025' here from May 1-4. D2M technology represents a breakthrough in next-generation broadcasting by enabling the delivery of OTT and live TV, video, audio, and text messages directly to mobile phones without relying on Wi-Fi or internet services. This innovation aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a 'Viksit Bharat' and further strengthens the 'Make in India' initiative. As part of this, affordable feature phones, smartphones, and tablets powered by Tejas Networks will be manufactured. These devices are being developed using the innovative SL-3000 chipset from Saankhya Labs, which serves as the cornerstone for enabling the D2M platform. Over the years, this technology has undergone extensive testing in live networks by Prasar Bharati in partnership with IIT Kanpur and Tejas Networks. Ravi Kunwar, VP and CEO of HMD India and APAC, said 'This pioneering platform will allow consumers to access a vast range of multimedia content directly on their devices." Sumeet Nindrajog, Director of FreeStream Technologies, highlighted the transformative nature of the D2M technology, adding, 'This technology is set to revolutionise how content and data are consumed by users. He further stated that the collaboration with HMD will help lay the foundation for a robust device ecosystem, which will play a key role in the nationwide rollout of D2M services. Parag Naik, co-founder of the former Saankhya Labs and Executive Vice President of Tejas Networks, elaborated on the potential of D2M. 'The technology would allow the delivery of targeted ads, educational content, emergency alerts, and more, aligning with the government's vision for a digitally empowered India,' Naik mentioned. Chris Ripley, President and CEO of Sinclair, Inc., also shared his enthusiasm for the project, stating, 'We're proud to be at the forefront of global deployment and look forward to collaborating with partners like HMD in making India a hub for next-generation broadcast technology."
