Mobility Magazine April 2019

Page 1

Mobility Monthly Magazine

April 2019

Issue 4

Volume 16

Pages 44

20

www.mobilityindia.com

beyond technology, beyond lifestyle

Interview

Page 26

Mr. Aniruddha Deb, CMO, Mobiistar

Featured

Page 40

Mr. Jitender Bhatia, JK Enterprises (JBTEK)

report

Page 42

Electronics Wast Sector




Contents

4

06 08 12

Editorial News Launchpad Advertorial

16

Why Customer retention is a key factor of today’s Retailer

Review fOUNDER & Editorial DIRECTOR Chief Editor Associate Editor

: Swapan Roy

Asst. Editor

: E. J. Jawahardatham

product head

: SANDEEP SARKAR

Finance

: SandEEp KR. TANTI

business HEAD

: Tridip Dey

MARKETING

: Sujit Goswami

: Manoj Jha : SHAMPA

SALES : Pratap, Santu, rajkumar MANAGER IT & WEB

: PAWAN KUMAR

sr. creative & Design

: MEERA

18 20 24

Detel Posh: A Made in India bluetooth speaker Motorola One UBON: SP 50 wooden wireless vintage speaker

Interview

26

Mr. Aniruddha Deb, CMO, Mobiistar

Circulation Manager : P Biswas Production Asst.

: Ashish Ghosh

H.O.: Delhi / Editorial Office Roy Mediative A-23, 1st Floor, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-I, New Delhi-110020 (INDIA) Mob: 09810380882, 09811346846, 09582951366 Ph: 91-11-41602841, 65683896, 40536384-87

Special Story

28

Indian Mobile Acessories Market in a Boom

Redg.Off.: 38-B / 56 Block, C. R. Park, New Delhi-110019 (India). Branch Office: Mumbai: E-mail: roy@mobilityindia.com Kolkata: 105/19, Dum Dum Road, Sil Colony, Kolkata-74 Contact: 09891666264, 09330922965; 09903392620 E-mail : roy@ mobilityindia.com Orissa : RoyMediative, Royal Communication, Shree Complex, Room No. 7, Louchapada Road, Opp. SBI Bank, Berhampur - 760001 (Orissa) (India) Contact

: Jivanananda Kar - 09439263711

Email

: info@mobilityindia.com

Featured

odisha.ncn@gmail.com Mobility Monthly News Paper, Printed, Published & Owned by Swapan Roy at 38-B / 56 Block, C. R. Park, New Delhi-110019 (India).

40

JBTEK makes and sells only quality mobile accessories

Printed at Pushpak Printer, C-96, Okhla Industrial Area-I, New Delhi-20. Retail selling price of a magazine copy Rs. 20/-. Annual subscription Rs. 240. Editor

: edit@mobilityindia.com

marketing@mobilityindia.com Info

Report

roy@ mobilityindia.com

Marketing : tridip@mobilityindia.com : info@mobilityindia.com

Subscribe : subscription@ mobilityindia.com

Mobility APRIL 2019

36

Electronic Waste Sector Can Create Half A Million Jobs In India By 2025: IfcT



6

EDITORIAL

Greetings from Mobility and Best Wishes for New Financial Year 2019-20! Dear Readers, Today, in parallel with the mobile phones market, mobile accessories market is also growing very fast. There are challenges but there are also plenty of opportunities for those brands which provide quality, trendy features, and latest innovations in their accessories.

Editor’s Choice

Swapan Roy roymobility@gmail.com

In this issue’s cover story ‘Mobile Accessories Market in a Boom’ we included the views of the leading mobile accessories providers about the market trends, challenges, opportunities, their brand strategies and how they make their way in the highly competitive yet lucrative mobile accessories market. The views affirm the fact that despite the challenge posed by the grey market, branded players can still make a good profit by providing the standard products and through building strong brand image based on customer confidence.

Samsung Galaxy A70 Galaxy A70 comes with a host of disruptive features, including a 32MP triple rear camera that is capable of shooting stunning super slow-mo videos. Galaxy A70 has a massive 4500mAh battery with 25W super-fast charging capability to give the young consumers the freedom and convenience to share, stream and play all day long. Galaxy A70 is also equipped with Samsung Pay which enables consumers to carry their wallet on their phone and pay almost everywhere securely.

www.mobilityindia.com

Mobility APRIL 2019

twitter.com/mobilitymag

facebook.com/mobilityindia2004

edit@mobilityindia.com



8

NEWS

Hotspot associates with eGifts4all to delight customers on their 14th anniversary Hotspot Retail, which operates over 110 smartphone stores in the National Capital Region and Kolkata, has joined hands with eGifts4all for a customer delight and engagement program. This program presents a unique 100% redemption proposition through a gift redemption voucher. Speaking at the program’s launch, Mr. Subhasish Mohanty, (Chairman & Executive Director) said “we are delighted to associate with eGifts4all for this unique proposition, which we are certain will build brand affinity with our customers.” For its month-long 14th Anniversary celebrations, Hotspot is planning to offer its customers over Rs.5 crore in gift redemptions. According to Mr. Manoj Seal (Director - Strategic Alliance) eGifts4all provide innovative ways for business leaders to excite their Left to Right : Mr. Manoj Seal , Mr. Subhasish Mohanty, Mr. Umesh Dubey (Head customers in the ultra-connected digital age. It is very Operations–eGifts4all), Mr. Atul Kapoor (CEO – Hotspot Retail) easy to wow a customer if you have some kind of surprise offer for them. People intermingle with people and that’s why consumer engagement with an innovative offer matters a lot. It actually strengthens the relationship between company and their customers.

JBL Sponsors Delhi Capitals for Indian Premier League Season 12

Bahrain Aiming to Roll-out Commercial 5G by June

HARMAN, announced its sponsorship of Delhi Capitals, one of the key teams participating in the T20

The Minister of Transportation In a development which will and Telecommunications, Kamal bin delight India’s tech-savvy consumer Ahmed Mohammed has announced base, TCL Electronics, a global topthat preparations for the rollout of 5G two television brand and a leading

Cricket Indian Premier League 2019, through its popular audio brand JBL. The association was announced at a friendly cricket match held between Delhi Capitals and JBL Sunshiners – a team of young, talented musicians from KM Music Conservatory (KMMC) and the ‘Sunshine Orchestra’ – mentored and supported by Academy Award winner – A. R. Rahman and his Foundation. JBL is the official sponsor of Delhi Capitals team and has secured branding rights for the team’s merchandise and promotional activities for the ongoing season. This new partnership offers JBL an opportunity to reach and connect with millions of cricket lovers across the world.

Mobility APRIL 2019

networks in the Kingdom of Bahrain are complete and anticipates that Bahrain will be one of the first countries globally to provide commercial 5G services by June 2019, pending availability of consumer handsets and equipment. All of the regulatory hurdles to full 5G implementation have been resolved, with the licensing and spectrum allocation set to be finalised by midApril by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (“TRA”). Mobile operators in the Kingdom have already begun rolling out the necessary network infrastructure. “Bahrain’s state of readiness is a testament to the leadership of the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain in enabling the implementation of cutting-edge technology and promoting innovation, and the continuous support of all stakeholders.

TCL joins hands with Amazon India to launch an exclusive sales campaign

consumer electronics company, has today launched an exclusive sales campaign in association with Amazon India. The latest campaign builds on the impressive reception that TCL products have garnered since the brand’s launch in India and underlines its status as one of the leading consumer electronics companies in the country. During the campaign, which is expected to run till March 31, 2019, TCL will make its extensive range of innovative TVs – including products in the smart, QLED, and Ultra HD TV categories – available at extremely cost-effective prices. TCL will also provide several value-added benefits such as lucrative cashbacks, no cost EMIs, hassle-free delivery, no charge installation, and free wall mounts to customers purchasing its products during the offer period.



10

NEWS

Infosys Foundation Signs MoU to Foster Research in Orientology Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic and CSR arm of Infosys, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, for five years to strengthen research activities in Orientology, the study of Ancient cultures of the Asian sub-continent.

Amarjit Singh Sidhu joins Detel as the National Head of Consumer Electronics Vertical

After successfully penetrating into feature phone and television market with its innovative technology, Detel, the world’s most economical feature phone and TV brand is now all set to open new avenues in the consumer durable product segment. The company today announces the appointment of Mr. Amarjit Singh Sidhu The proposed grant of INR to expand its 9.13 crores will be utilized to train product portfolio scholars in Orientology and prepare in the consumer a bibliography of relevant academic electronics texts in the field. The grant will space. An also help to create a centralized industry veteran, Amarjit Singh holds information cell through descriptive an extensive experience and proven cataloguing of manuscripts, record in Sales, Marketing, Business collection and publishing of inscriptions and outlining the history Development, Administration, of the collected information, enabled Customer Service, etc. by a team of specialists. Sidhu has worked with broad The Foundation will establish two spectrum of companies. He has chairs at the institute, The Infosys been successful in enhancing profits Foundation Chair of Orientology and in Chaudhary Group, Kwality and the Karnataka Chair of Orientology, for T-Series. He has developed a range eminent scholars of Orientology. term of 8-10 black & white 14” TVs and of two to six months, as part of this had introduced colour TVs in North India for the 1st time in 1984. grant, and will be known as Infosys.

Xiaomi renews its commitment to Make in India with a new manufacturing plant with Flex Ltd Xiaomi, India’s number one smartphone brand, announced its renewed commitment to the ‘Make in India’ initiative with its seventh manufacturing plant in India, in partnership with Flex Ltd.

Xiaomi also launched Redmi Go, the company’s newest addition to its smartphone portfolio. With an aggressive price tag, Redmi Go makes a great entry-level smartphone. In addition, Xiaomi announced its own UPI payment solution app – Mi Pay for millions of Xiaomi MIUI users in india enabling them to access digital payment solutions. Xiaomi extended its commitment to the Make in India initiative with its seventh smartphone manufacturing plant. The manufacturing plant is in partnership with Flex Ltd, which has over 1 million square ft footprint across India.

eGifts4all announces Strategic Alliance with Gursahib Communication (Jalandhar)for Customer Delight Solutions M/s Gursahib Communication, a renowned name into distribution in Punjab has announced a strategic alliance with eGifts4all for their customer delight and engagement program. This program is aimed towards 100% delight to the customer, through the unique proposition of redemption gift voucher. Mr. Tajnder Pal Singh(Honey Singh), expresses his excitement to join hands with eGifts4all. According to him this proposition would help strengthening the relationship between the company and customer. He is expecting good business from this alliance. For last 2 decades, Gursahib Communicationis into the distribution business of – Telecom, IT, Brown Goods, Home Appliances, Accessories, Insurancein regions of Punjab. They are also known for innovating new launches and ideas. Some of their popular association and tie - ups are – Oppo, Karbonn, Airtel, Reliance Jio, iBall (IT peripherals), HTC, LG, Samsung, AppsDaily (Insurance), Hindware (Appliances), etc. According to Mr. Manoj Seal (Director - Strategic Alliance), eGifts4all has some of the best strategies to help in retaining existing customers, delighting them and making them loyal for towards one’s brand. It is very easy to wow a customer if you have some kind of surprise offer for them. Everyone loves to get more than what he or she anticipated; little things beyond the normal that one can offer to the customers are very extraordinary. All these together create wow moments for customers and help company earn consumer loyalty. Mobility APRIL 2019



12

launchpad

WK Life launches its BD370 Wireless Bluetooth Earphones WK life has launched its BD 370 wireless earphone that allows you to have your share of daily fun without the trouble of managing messed up wires; gym, dance, run or do any sort of physical activity with BD 370 wireless headphone. This amazing wireless headphone can be used for the time period of 8-10 hours after charging it for almost 2 hours. It comes in three different colour options: Black, white & silver. The device has several other exciting features like: • You can take pictures with headphones by pressing twice the volume (+) button for few seconds quickly. • It is compatible with the Android as well as ios’ newest versions of the mobile phones. • It has three buttons plus and minus button of volume and another call button. The call button function to receive or disconnect a call, play and pause music, and it also works as the power button to switch on and off the headphones. Whereas, the volume button can be used to control volume, to change the music tracks and to pair with the devices around. • Inbuilt-rechargeable battery, it has the USB 5V outlet which when plugged on to charging port shows Red light. These headphones are of high quality, compatible, attractive, and convenient to use. WK life has always been very advanced and innovative with their gadget styles and BD 370 Bluetooth wireless headphones surely don’t disappoint you as well.

Myntra and Jabong launches Blink Play

Myntra and Jabong announces the launch of a first of its kind smart hearable device, BLINK PLAY. Worn like ear-phones, this Bluetooth enabled sporty hearable device, combines premium audio functionality with advanced fitness tracking features, for enthusiasts on the go. Blink Play was developed at the state-of-the-art, Innovation Labs at Myntra and Jabong that was established in 2018 to develop next generation technologies and offer innovative products at affordable price points, to shoppers in India. The device enables users to enjoy a host of functionalities related to fitness, in conjunction with the Blink Fit App, on both Android and iOS. It also features seamless audio streaming, with wellbalanced and great sound quality for music and calls and allows access to Siri and OK Google with just a tap. The device comes in three premium metallic variants Carbon Black, Moon Silver and Rose Gold and two sporty designer variants in Limerick and Tangerine. As a personal fitness coach, the device lets the user access a range of guided audio sessions on the App while tracking key activity metrics through an on-going training session. Mobility APRIL 2019

BELKIN launches ScreenForce Tempered Glass Screen Protection for iPhone Users

Belkin unveils its ScreenForce Tempered Glass Screen Protection product for users of all iPhones, including the recently announced iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max. Incorporating a state-of-theart protective screen through a machine, Belkin’s ScreenForce screen protection application system is a unique, first-of-its-kind system designed to apply Belkin screen protectors to devices with unparalleled accuracy. This state-of-the-art phone protection solution ensures that the protective layer is perfectly placed and aligned with the exact dimensions of the iPhone’s screen, leaving no margin for errors. Belkin’s Expert application by highly trained, certified screen care specialists ensures precision, with no misalignment and the final product, free of air bubbles.

Noble Skiodo and Flipkart launches India’s first SmartLite LED TVs

Noble Skiodo, a part of the Veira Group in association with Flipkart, India’s largest Online Marketplace, announces launch of India’s never seen before, most AFFORDABLE SmartLite LED TV’s – NB24YT01 -24inch at Rs 6999/-and NB32YT01 – 32inch, at Rs 8999/-with customer delivery, Door service and GST included. Revolutionizing the future, Noble Skiodo with this launch aims to fulfil the dream of every consumer; where every Home in India shall now be a ‘Smart Home’. Upgrading the lifestyle of Consumers, Noble Skiodo TV makes the ‘power of technology’ accessible to everyone. Commenting on the launch of Smart TVs, Mr.Sharan Maini, Director – Business Development at Noble Skiodo says, “Living the dream of every Indian, our newest launched SmartLite TVs at never seen before prices, democratizes technology making it more accessible, for an inclusive revolution. This internetenabled SmartLite TV no longer limits individuals to entertainment, but rather brings infinite possibilities in your living room.



14

launchpad

XOLO, launched ERA 5X with AI studio mode

The ERA 5X has a 5.7” HD+ IPS In-Cell Full Screen display with 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass, giving the handset a sturdy look with greater durability. XOLO Era 5X, the new generation phone has 3GB RAM, designed for the needs of the techsavvy consumers for fast and efficient usage. The device offers (4G + 4G) Dual VOLTE enabling users to widen their network. The phone comes with 32 GB internal memory and 128 GB expandable memory, providing users ample space to store data. The XOLO ERA 5X is priced at Rs. 7,499 and is available in black color. XOLO products are known for their long-lasting battery backup. The era 5x is powered with a 3000 mAh Li-Po non-removable battery that can last for 1.5 days on a single charge*. The ERA 5X runs on Mediatek Helio A22 processor with 2.0GHz speed.

Astrum introduces the Travel essential ‘Wireless Speaker ST180

Astrum, one of the leading ‘new technology’ brand known for its advanced and intelligent solutions, launches the Ultra-Portable Travel essential ‘ST180 Wireless Speaker’. Light in weight, Compact in size, delivers nothing but Crisp, Powerful sound in every direction. Rectangular compact shape, enough to carry in your Bag or flaunt it when around, the speaker plays very loud for its size with the 500 mAh power battery life which shall last upto 6 hours minutes of playback. The latest in superior sound ST180 offers high-sensitivity and dynamic range, with immersive stereo sound experience. The speaker gives you a rich & crystal clear audio output, with 3W RMS to give you a distortion-free sound.The portable speaker also has media controls, volume controls in the front. It comes with hands-free calling function with a built-in rechargeable battery and wireless Bluetooth transmission.

Vivo launches V15 with 32MP Pop-up Selfie Camera and Ultra FullView Display

Vivo, the global innovative smartphone brand, announced the launch of the vivo V15 for the Indian market. The smartphone will be available in 6GB RAM + 64GB ROM with expandable memory up to 256GB, running on a 4,000mAh battery with dual-engine fast charge. The V15 will be available in Glamour Red, Frozen Black and Royal Blue at an MOP of INR 23,990 on vivo India E-Store, Amazon. in, Flipkart, PayTm Mall, Tata CLiQ and all offline channels pan India from 1st April, 2019. Commenting on the launch, Nipun Marya, Director Brand Strategy, vivo India said, “At vivo, we believe in bringing the best in technology and user experience to our consumers. The recently launched V15 Pro received an overwhelming response from the consumers, and with the launch of V15 we further want to provide our consumers with the opportunity to experience innovative technologies such as Pop-up camera and Ultra FullViewTM display at an exciting price point.”

Multi-feature Smartphone at Only Rs. 4999 Now Exclusively on ShopClues Imagine a mobile phone with an HD display, 13-megapixel main camera, 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM, 1.5GHZ Quad Core MediaTek, security features like unique face ID detector for unlocking and front fingerprint scanner, big battery, multi-layered rubberised finish and much more — all at only Rs. 4,999! Log on to ShopClues, the preferred online platform for the real Bharat, to make this dream a reality. You can now own the brand new Tii54 smartphone by Tiitan Holdings for just Rs.4,999 exclusively on ShopClues and experience a whole new level of entertainment. The Tii54 smartphone, which is the most affordable smartphone in India, has an amazing speaker that delivers excellent sound quality so you can enjoy your video and audio files to the fullest. ShopClues has launched an array of affordable high-quality electronic accessories targeting tier II, III, IV and smaller cities. ShopClues has always been at the forefront of innovation and has been introducing such products to the portfolio that fits the need and expectations of its target customers perfectly. Mobility APRIL 2019



16

advertorial

Why Customer retention is a key factor of today’s Retailer Mr. Manoj Seal, Director - Strategic Alliances, eGifts4all

T

he retail format has changed over the years and people are now moving from organized multi brand store to large format stores and malls. In past 8~10 years you have seen how the Retail industry has proliferated; still a large number of Indians are giving importance to touch-and-feel and ready to buy a product at the comfort. The benefits from Retail do not merely stop at discounts but innovative offers play a big role. It has now spread to small towns from metros and has expanded the horizon for businesses. “Though there is a rise of e-commerce, the physical Retail stores still draw a significant shopping crowd at their respective stores. In fact, 88% of all retail sales are still being generated from Retail, Large format retail and malls” According to Mr. Manoj Seal (Director- Sales & Strategic Alliances), any product selling below the MOP cost is untenable and the retailers will quickly realize this and stop the practice of selling products at destructive prices. One has to be conscious of respecting the brand and protecting the MOP (minimum selling price) of the brand. eGifts4all gives such a unique proposition to retailer that will help them to balance the both Customer and Brand. Different Retail businesses have different types of customers to whom they deal with. In addition, how successful the Retailer is depends on their skills and competencies that how they treat the customer. Many a times, the Retail owner/manager fail to understand the specific needs of customer which is why many of the initiatives that are rolled out in the retail don’t really have the desired business impact. In today’s competitive environment the major challenge in Retail is to retain the customer. For typical traditional retail, it is relatively easy to predict within a few minutes that what the customer demand is going

Mobility February APRIL 20192019

to be. This is where understanding goes with eGifts4all with 100% assured gift vouchers for customer, to increase sales rapidity. Mr. Umesh Dubey (Head Operations) stated, eGifts4all is an innovative way of offering customer up to 100% cash back in form of 100% assured gift vouchers (No condition applied). We become A Bridge between Customer and Retailer. eGifts4all provide a special Delight program to retain your customer and increase Customer Acquisition. In India- retailers are looking to create a seamless shopping experience with customer that it is important to integrate e-commerce and in-store experiences. “As per study by 2020, nearly 70% of retailers will be able to give customized service in the store visit for customers, as a majority of them will know when a specific customer is in the store. This will be enable through technology, allowing retailers to have different buying experience.” It said that innovative offers/working is gaining foothold in the retail space as such platforms help retailers gain insights into shopper’s behaviors and paths in a given store, allowing them to make smarter merchandising and marketing decisions. We have analyzed such channel sales challenge through detailed understanding and implementing some of the best innovative gift solutions effective in modern times. Now we have more than 500 Retailers experience who implemented this wonderful scheme & seeing great jump in their business. Find more Alliances https://www.egifts4all.com or call Mr. Amitabh Mukherjee (VP- Business Development) amitabh.mukherjee@egifts4all.com, Mobile: 8586007989



18

review

Detel Posh

A Made in India Bluetooth Speaker

Detel, the world’s most economical feature phone and TV brand also has expanded its audio products portfolio in India with the launch of Posh Bluetooth Speaker. Priced at Rs 1,999, the Bluetooth speaker can be purchased through Detel’s website, Mobile app and ecommerce platforms- Flipkart & Amazon. This “Made in India” wooden Bluetooth speaker is designed for every music enthusiast. The product is equipped with DC5V 2A Power Speaker & V4.2 Bluetooth version that allows a connectivity range up to 10 meters. Backed by a 3.7v-2000mAh lithium battery, Posh delivers 5 hours of playback on “normal sound”. In terms of connectivity options, users can also connect the Bluetooth speaker with Pen drive, Micro SD Card and AUX to enjoy back to back music. Posh enhances your music experience and adds a little bit of flair that sync to the rhythm of the beat. It houses a distortion of 0.5% (AT1.0khz 2w). It also supports a charging time of 3-4 Hours. Detel is focused on empowering its users with innovative products and with value for money proposition.

Mobility APRIL 2019



20

review

Motorola One T

he Motorola One is the second Android One device from Motorola in India after last year’s Motorola One Power. The Motorola One sells for Rs 13,999, competing with Redmi Note 7. With the second Android One smartphone for the indian consumers it promises to give three years of security updates. No doubt that this is a much better looking phone is sub 15K category, better than its predecessor the Motorola One Power. The Motorola One let you do more with a smart camera thanks to Google Lens. It has the latest software and AI-powered innovations from Google, right out of the box. If we talk about the camera features of Motorola One, it is now equipped with 13MP dual smart camera system and 8MP selfie camera. And with AI- powered Google Lens, you can interact with the world around you just by pointing your camera. Longer battery life means no need to worry about losing your GPS directions when you’re out and about. When your battery is low, charge up quickly with our 15W TurboPower TM charger for up to 6 hours of power in 20 minutes. The phone’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 2.0 GHz octa-core processor keeps your device performing at peak speeds, so it responds instantly to every tap, touch and swipe. A modern, curved glass body frames motorola one’s 5.9” (15 cm) 19:9 Max Vision display. It’s the perfect size to channel your inner director and record your 4K videos, fit more on the page to read your favorite book, or take notes and multitask more easily with a split screen. And do all of this while using one hand.

Mobility APRIL 2019





24

review

UBON

SP 50 Wooden Wireless Vintage Speaker

T

he latest addition to Ubon’s wireless portfolio, the homegrown consumer electronics brand primarily dealing in premium category headphones, speakers and other electronic accessories, has SP 50 Wooden Wireless Vintage speaker for Rs2990/-. A perfect blend of timeless design, high-quality sound in wooden construction, is an amazing addition to a retro set-up at home. Despite its old-school looks; inside it is all modern. Wireless connectivity with smartphones, laptops, & tablets. Plays FM, compatible with Aux, Pen Drive &SD Card Slot. Given its compact design, the UBON SP-50 Wooden wireless speaker can easily be fitted into a backpack, suitcase, or travel bag. The speaker is completely wireless with a frequency

Mobility APRIL 2019

range of 60Hz~15KHz & features an enhanced bass driver with a power output of 10~20W that delivers rich balanced low-end without muddying the highs. It comes with 6-8 hours playtime with a 2000 mAh rechargeable battery, so keep your music pumping wherever you go.The product is available at the company’s website along with all leading stores and e-commerce websites across India. Lastly, the Ubon SP 50 comes with 6-8 hours playtime with a 2000mAh rechargeable battery. Verdict: Nicely build product with great looks, though many similar looking speakers are now available in the Indian market right now with such kind of wooden finish, but Ubon clearly has an edge over all of them.



26

interview

We want to continuously deliver products with aspirational features at a reasonable price Mr. Aniruddha Deb,

T

he Vietnamese brand founded in 2009, entered India last year with a promise to provide smart phones with cutting-edge technology, trending functionalities and aspirational features at affordable prices in 4-10k range. Based on the philosophy of ‘Enjoy More’, Mobiistar strives to capture hearts in India with the right technology, crisp designs, meaningful user experience, excellent service and their passionate attitude towards consumers. In an interaction with Mobility magazine, Aniruddha Deb, CMO, Mobiistar, shares, “Our main focus is to provide smartphones in the 4-10k segment with the latest, trending and aspirational features which are usually not available in the market in the phone in that price bracket. There are a host of brands and 100s of models in the market, which do not provide features comparable to us at price-points in 4-10K range. Our market strategy is to first tidentify the gaps in the phones available in the market and what better features we can provide at particular price-points, in terms of product features, pricing, powerful selfie cameras, multicolor and attractive designs, etc and provide these features at an affordable prices.” Selfie-taking is one of the strongest trends in the market currently and Mobiistar has incorporated the best camera and

Mobility APRIL 2019

features to meet the selfie-demands of the users with India-specific selfie designs and experience. Providing affordability without compromising quality, Mobiistar brings to life the fact that limitless enjoyment can be economical. Talking about their supply channel perspective, Mr. Deb, adds, “We have a strong offline channel network. Our main focus is to reach out to retailers even in the remote towns. In the last 6 months, we reached 27 states, 600 distributors and 40,000 retailers outlets. Building such a massive offline network with in 6 months is definitely an achievement. We could also generate a good acceptance among customers and our sales figures are growing fast. We do monthly audit of all our activities, expansion, sales volumes by model, value growth, etc; and review the strategy for the following month. Before the end of 2019, we want to reach out to over 60,000 mobile outlets, that is nearly 60% of the Indian market. And we already have 1000 third party service centers, with service presence even in the remote towns. We have a production plant in India with good capacity which we want to expand further by the end of 2019.” At the core of the Mobiistar lies the vision to proliferate technology and make its mark in the markets it ventures into. Consumer sentiments are pivotal to the product and brand strategy of Mobiistar. Since

CMO, Mobiistar

inception, backed by advanced R&D department and marketing strategy, Mobiistar focused on establishing an integrated approach and built the brand on the pillars of digital and mobile marketing keeping consumer research, product development and core technology at the foundation. In January and February 2019 we launched two massive campaigns on two of our models the Mobiistar C1 Shine and Mobiistar X1 Notch, became the highest spenders and doubly higher in share of voice, and this was something which was noticed by consumers and retailers and created awareness. “Today over 70% sales in India happen offline for the under 10K category. In the 4-10K category, we are already on the top 10 in some regions. We constantly keep on bringing out better versions every quarter. We want to be in top 5 in the under-10K category in a year’s time. The edge we have is, our focus is only on the 4-10K segments, where other prominent brands have their focus spread across a wide range. In Jan 2019, we spent heavily on promotion doing a lot of TVC and working with several celebrities. We also have a reward program for high performing retailers and we felicitated 8000 retailers across India recently. We also give excellent sales & technical support to our retailers thru our technical and sales teams. We are optimistic about future growth and expansion in the Indian market.”



28

special story

India is one of the biggest and fastest growing smartphone markets globally. The rapid proliferation of smartphones and mobile-enabled devices is a major factor in augmenting the demand for mobile accessories in India.

T

oday, smartphones have become inseparable companions to most people and this trend is driving the mobile phone accessories segment as never before. Growing at 17% YoY, the Indian smartphone sector continues to drive the mobile accessories market at a comparable pace, offering a great opportunity for the accessory providers to boom and flourish. The trend is expected to continue for several more years to come. Technically, the term ‘mobile accessories’ includes a wide range of items including fancy mobile covers, stands, safeguards, decorative pieces, earphones, headsets, dongles, chargers, memory cards, batteries, powerbanks, Bluetooth speakers, and other portable accessories. The increasing adoption of smartphones, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and unprecedented usage of the Internet have given a significant impetus to the mobile accessories market in India during the last few years. The technological advancements made in the field of mobile accessories, dropping prices due to competition, etc are making the Indian mobile accessories industry a happening place.

Factors Driving The Indian Mobile Accessories Market At present, India has lakhs of multi-brand stores and hundreds of online retailersformobilephonesandaccessories.Availabilityofastrongdistribution network and zeal to gain the competitive advantage are the essential driving factors for the providers of the mobile accessories to climb up the ladder. The slashing of the average selling prices of accessories has made the products affordable for consumers from all the economic strata, which has enabled the market to expand enormously. The pullback factors like lack of standardization, threat to privacy, counterfeit production of branded accessories and the compulsion to adhere to competitive pricing, unfavorable government policies that tax essential imports and lack of ecosystem to Make in India remain potent risks often setting limits to the providers of the Indian mobile accessories. Despite the roadblocks, the Indian mobile accessories market is doing well in terms of opportunities for accessories providers.

Mobility APRIL 2019


special story Gigantic Size Of The Indian Mobile Accessories Market

I

29

been growing exponentially. Sound One has an exclusive range of mobile accessories within affordable price range to meet the needs of different strata of users.”

Puneet Gupta, Business Head, Oraimo Accessories India, shares, “Today, basic accessories have become must-own devices and the mobile accessories market is growing at a remarkable rate. Though the market is still largely fragmented and unorganized with grey, unbranded sellers having a big share, the Indian Mobile accessories market will continue to offer opportunities for branded players to survive and grow.” “There is a vast unfilled vacuum in the Indian mobile accessories market and also there is a Pawan Parwani of Landmark, says, “The lot to understand about real requirements of the increasing penetration and upward moving Indian audience for accessories. We are tapping graph of the smartphone industry this market with our versatile and vast range of have simultaneously given the mobile accessory products with standards and qualities accessories market an equal opportunity on par with the others in the industry.” to boom and flourish. The rise in the use of mobile Internet and innovative Mr. Rajesh Doshi, technologies are further driving the growth of Founder & Director, Zebronics the accessories market.”

ndia is one of the biggest and fastest growing smartphone markets globally. The rapid proliferation of smartphones and mobile-enabled devices is a major factor in augmenting the demand for mobile accessories in India.

“As we know, India is one of the biggest markets for smartphones and is growing at a tremendous rate. Correspondingly, the mobile accessories market is also growing at a faster rate. The mass brand like Zebronics with a wide range of accessory products and a wide reach across the nation sees a lot of opportunities in the mobile accessories market in the current year and coming years.” Rajesh Doshi, Zebronics. Mandeep Arora, Director UBON, comments, “Today, people prefer to try and physically feel the product prior to making a buying decision. UBON accessorieswitheye-catchyandpremiumlookscan be found at most of the shops & showrooms in the country, in addition to online market places.” Arun Singh, Director, Zealot, asserts, “Today nearly 70% of the 1.36 billion populations in India use mobile phones and correspondingly the market for mobile accessories is vast and is growing fast. That is the reason all the major brands are focusing on the Indian market.”

Harsh Kukadia, CEO, HK Concepts, shares, “Indian mobile accessories market is growing at a CAGR of 17% as opposed to the analysts’ expectations of 10.5%. So we at HK Concepts see a lot of scope “Indian market is so huge that there is a lot to be done. We are presently expanding our Indian consumer base and enhancing our consumer experience. We are more focused on increasing our Indian factory production to match the Indian customers demand.” Mr. Mandeep Arora, Director, UBON for those who know how to explore and exploit the opportunities.”

Nishant Goel, Co-Founder & Director, Gizmore, says, “Indian mobile phone accessories market is anticipated to flourish at a CAGR of 10.5% during 2016-2024. Factors such as rising share Komal Agarwal, Director (Marketing), Pebble, reveals, “The of youth population and increasing penetration of smartphones among masses are anticipated to fuel the growth of the India mobile phone accessories market.” “There are only a few standard mobile accessory brands in the market as of now and D K Bharti, Country Head – India, e-Ping Pebble could secure a place among them. We (a brand of Ping Telematics Pvt Ltd), states, plan to capitalize on this brand equity gained “The growing penetration of the smartphones till date and focus more on brand building to is simultaneously driving the mobile market increase our market share in the coming year accessories market. Growing urbanization, rising and be a long-term player in this industry.” disposable incomes, active youth population and competitive prices are further accelerating the Ms. Komal Agarwal, accessories market.” Director (Marketing), Pebble

Mobile Accessories Market in India is expected to be around Rs 15,000 Cr in the current year. We are very optimistic about the growth of Pebble and the market share we could cut.” Deepali Jain, Co-Founder & Director – Marketing, Sound One Technologies, comments, “Because of the increasing number of smartphone users, the market of mobile accessories in India has

In the words of Akhilesh Chopra, Marketing Manager, Bluei, “The ongoing deeper penetration of the smartphones has given the mobile market accessories an opportunity to boom and flourish. Quality, style, attractive looks and comfort levels of the accessories have become the other factors driving the demand.” Rajneesh Wadhawan of Glorious electronics (I) Pvt Ltd, says, “The increase of mobile phone adoption are key factor driving the growth of mobile phone accessories market size. Mobility APRIL 2019


30

special story

The factors responsible for the growth can also attributed to the rapid expansion of accessory distribution network, both online and offline. Now most of Indians find it difficult to conduct without mobile phones and mobile accessories.” Sudhir Kumar of AMYO states, “The Indian mobile industry has grown manifold in the last few years and the increasing number of customers who own mobile phones need supporting accessories like chargers, phone covers, power banks, earphones, etc. The mobile accessories market has therefore seen a rapid rise in the demand for such accessories since 2015 and is forecasted to grow at a CAGR “With rapidly changing technology, the product life cycles have become short and the accessories providers must keep up-to-date with not just the technology but also with the beautification that attracts customers and AI features are expected to become prominent in the coming times.” Mr. Sudhir Kumar, CEO, Agaston (AMYO)

of over 10% till 2023.” Mandeep Arora of UBON, comments, “UBON was launched with the aim to increase the reach of the branded quality gadgets and mobile accessories to the consumers of every sector, vertical, and society. With the strong R&D and right technology, UBON offers a wide range of Bluetooth speakers & headphones, chargers, cables, car accessories, care products and surge protectors--more than 125 accessories.” Ashok Rajpal, Director of Ambrane expresses, “Indian mobile phone accessories market is anticipated to flourish at a CAGR of 10.5% over the forecast period i.e. 2019-2024. Further, factors such as, rising young age population, mobile Internet usage, increasing penetration in T2 and T3 cities are anticipated to drive the growth of the Indian mobile phone accessories market over the forecast period.”

Director, Strategic Alliances, eGifts4all.

Major Factors Affecting Demand The mobile phone accessories segment is fast changing with the continuous technology upgrades and the manufacturers bringing out devices that offer several functionalities to attract customers. The consumers are looking out for devices that are unique, versatile and multi-functional. Rajesh Doshi from Zebronics states, “The consumers today are on the lookout for unique and distinct looking accessoriesthatbecomeapartoftheiridentity, besides being multi-functional and trendy. Zeb-Journey wireless earphones come with 13 hours of playback time and a voice assistant feature for Google/Siri devices.” Komal Agarwal of Pebble asserts, “The consumption of media on smartphones has increased significantly, so there is a growing demand for high power banks, audio products such as earphones, headphones and speakers to enjoy the media content better.” Arun Singh of Zealot comments, “People are buying from China and selling by putting their brand name on it without any attention to quality. Good quality at reasonable price are the

“Despite the fact that the demand for wireless technology is presently concentrated in select regions and high costs of such gadgets, Gizmore foresees considerable growth in the wireless technologies in the near future, for products like wireless chargers, headphones and earphones.” Mr. Nishant Goal, Co-Founder & Director, Gizmore

need of the hour. The grey market should be curbed to streamline accessories business.”

Puneet Gupta of Oraimo Accessories India reveals, “The increasing penetration of smartphones is proportionately pushing up the demand for accessories, creating a secondary “With the technological advancements, users market. Be it earphones, speakers, in India are getting more inclined towards the high power-banks, wearables or headsets, tech mobile accessories like Bluetooth devices, today, accessories are complementing the high power banks, wireless headphones, etc and smartphones while making them smarter. they want advanced, safe and secure accessories Nowadays, changing preferences like for their mobile phones.” listening to music on portable devices, charging on the go, etc has also created a burgeoning demand for mobile Mr. Manish Gupta, accessories.” VP, Gizmore

“Today most people in India are using mobile phones and the number is growing, so the demand for accessories is currently huge and will grow further,” states, Manoj Seal,

Mobility APRIL 2019

Harsh Kukadia of HK Concepts says, “There are two major factors that have resulted in the increased demand of mobile phone accessories—Data: India is one of the largest consumers of mobile data. Recent studies have shown an increasing demand for VoD contents, which in turn is leading


special story “The price-sensitiveness trend will certainly change and the demand will shift towards higher quality products. We are focusing on investing in innovative and versatile yet cost-effective products to help change the mindset of our clients and drive value for money.” Mr. Pawan Parwani, Director, Landmark to an increasing demand for power banks and earphones; and then Gaming: Battery-hungry games like PUBG and Fortnite have also led to an increasing demand for mobile accessories.” Nishant Goel of Gizmore shares, “Major factors driving the growth of smart accessories are: rapid urbanization, improving network connectivity, technological advancements and changing distribution networks and trends. People are looking for mobile accessories which are colorful, unique, stylish and trendy.”

31

lithium-ion batteries to lightweight, sleek and stylish polymer models. Increasing demand for Bluetooth earphones and headphones are the other latest trends in mobile accessories market segment.”

Sudhir Kumar of AMYO asserts, “With the country moving towards more and more digitization, there is a rapid rise in the ownership of personal gadgets like smartphones, tablets, laptops, e-readers, etc. Correspondingly, the demand for different kinds of accessories like USB cables, Aux Wires, earphones, adapters, etc is also increasing exponentially.”

Ashok Rajpal of Ambrane adds, “Among many factors that drive the mobile accessories demand, there are a few critical factors including: Innovation, Quality, Price and Product / Technology Awareness. Constant improvisation on these factors will enable companies to compete in a healthy manner.”

Latest Technology & Market Trends

Today the wireless gadgets with longer battery life D K Bharti of e-Ping says, “Today, short product options, voice assistance, fast chargers and sporty and life-cycles, fast changing technology, increasing colorful accessories are trending today. competition and price-sensitivity, all have a lot of influence on the demand of “Consumers are shifting towards easy, accessories like chargers, cables, hands comfortable, stylish and trending wired free, power bank, etc.” and wireless mobile accessories. Blue is Sandeep Popli of Damson Technologies providing a wide range of accessories which reveals, “While the users want to own the are colorful, unique, trendy and affordable.” most advanced handsets, they do not mind going an extra mile to keep their Mr. Akhilesh Chopra, mobile phones safe and trendy Marketing Manager, Bluei supplemented by the latest accessories. According to the industry reports, products such as protective cases for mobile phones Rajesh Doshi of Zebronics avers, “The latest trend is and audio gears such as headphones and earphones growing demand for the wireless gadgets, long-life batteries, are expected to hold ranks as the top-selling high power banks, fast chargers, etc. Our recent 10,000 mAh mobile phone accessories in India.” power bank ZEB-MC10000PD comes with a triple USB 2.1 A Akhilesh Chopra of Bluei elaborates, “Mobile output for people who are on the move. We also have a range accessories like headphones, power banks, travel chargers, of fast charging wireless phone chargers. Our Zeb-Peace USB cables, wireless speakers, Bluetooth devices, selfie- earphones come with voice assistance and give a true sticks enhance the value of smartphones. Bluei is providing a wireless earphone experience.” wide range of accessories to the consumers in an affordable Komal Agarwal of Pebble states, “With respect to charging range. Everyone today wants style statements and Blue-i stores solutions, fast charging technologies like QC, PD and wireless provide a wide range of accessories which are colorful, charging solutions are the latest trends. With respect to unique and trendy to satisfy these needs.” Bluetooth speakers, the market is trending towards Rajneesh Wadhawan of Glorious Electronics briefs, “Fast smaller-sized speakers with higher outputs. Sporty and light chargers and wireless chargers are the latest trend. Power earphones/ headphones are also trending higher.” banks offerings are shifting from heavy and bulky Ravi Kumar Daryani, Director, Zavia, shares, “One of the latest trends is people want quality Bluetooth speakers. Our aim at Zavia is to provide the most economical Bluetooth speakers that can give “Today, the desired features in mobile superior experience at a price point, compared accessories include style, looks and comfort, to other similar products available in the market, besidesfunctionalities.Growingurbanization, along with warranty to both the consumers and rising disposable incomes, active youth the OEMs. Great quality, aesthetic looks, durability, population and competitive prices will further competitive price, good features & functionality are accelerate the demand for accessories.” the hallmarks of the Zavia’s Bluetooth speakers.” Mr. D K Bharti, Country Head – India, e-Ping

Arun Singh of Zealot comments, “Wireless charging, Bluetooth earplug / headphone and high sound, attractively designed speakers are on demand.” Mobility APRIL 2019


32

special story

Mr. Akhilesh Gupta, Director, UR Distree Pvt Ltd (Distributor of ADATA) “ADATA well-known, globally No. 2 memory brand, ADATA, has now forayed into mobile accessories segment with a wide range of accessories, including headphones, powerbanks, car chargers, Bluetooth speakers, etc with global standards and quality. Ur Distree is the Authorized Partner for ADATA mobile accessory products in India. Right now there are very few MNC brands in the mobile accessories segment in India and we are sure that we will establish ADATA, a brand with international reputation, into one of the leading mobile accessories brands in India. We are also looking for some committed regional partners to reach ADATA mobile accessory products to different corners of the Indian market.”.

Mr. Harsh Kukadia, CEO, HK Concepts

“We, as manufacturers, see a great potential in the OEM/ODM market. Demand for made-in-India products has increased a lot due to an increase in the customs duty on imported products. Being a renowned manufacturer of Make in India mobile accessories, we see a lot of opportunity in this segment.” “India today opens a huge and growing opportunites for mobile accessories. For Champion, having a wide range of mobile accessories, quality is our main merit. In future, only those who provide quality products and top class service will survive in the mobile accessories market.”

Deepali Jain of Sound One Technologies states, “The latest trends in the Indian mobile market are wireless headphones, airpods, wireless chargers, wireless power banks, etc. Sound One is a one-stop-destination for these technologies with a wide range of products at affordable prices.” In the words of Puneet Gupta of Oraimo Accessories, “Besides comfort and ease-of-use, the accessories today are also considered style-statements and the brands are focusing on making accessories trendy and attractive with a variety of colors and design variants, bundling them with smartphones with attractive options for both sellers and buyers. Wireless devices are adding convenience to masses enhancing the experience in using the phones. As a brand, we constantly adopt the new marketing technologies to keep up with consumer expectations and demands in the market.”

Mr. Kapil Wadhwa, Director, Champion

power banks made of Li-Polymer cells is also gaining traction due to the reduction in their prices.”

In the words of Manish Gupta of Gizmore, “With the technological advancements, users in India are Harsh Kukadia of HK Concepts briefs, “Bluetooth TWS getting more inclined towards the high tech mobile accessories like Bluetooth devices, high power banks, wireless headphones, etc and they want advanced, safe and secure accessories for “There is considerable opportunity in their mobile phones. Customers today want to accessories market. The latest technology, listen to music on-the-go thus increasing the trendy features, comfort, right price, etc all demand for portable accessories.” play their part while addressing a segment D K Bharti of e-Ping elaborates, “Today, the of consumers, be it Bluetooth speakers, trend is moving towards Bluetooth and wireless tfitness wearable gadgets or headphones.” products like wireless chargers, wireless portable Mr. Sandeep Popli, Director – Sales, Damson Technologies

earphone is gaining popularity among the Indian consumers mainly for its compact size and usefulness. Small, compact

Mobility APRIL 2019

in India.”

chargers, Bluetooth hands free, headphones, speakers etc. In the coming years, wireless headphones and earphones are expected to gain popularity. Turbo chargers capable of charging mobile devices at faster speeds are witnessing rapid adoption among consumers

Sandeep Popli of Damson Technologies reveals, “Some of the latest trends in technology & market trends are: fast


special story

Mr. Champak Raj Gurjar, MD, Maxtone Electronics Pvt Ltd (Minix)

33

Mr. Rajneesh Wadhawan, Glorious Electronics

“World is looking at the Indian market since it is very big and Indian users are quick to adopt new technologies. Minix has wide and complete range of mobile accessories that fit into the pockets of different user segments, low-, mid- and high-end users. Minix is quick at adopting the lnew innovations and brings latest technology and top quality to the Indian users at affordable prices.

“Now fast or quick chargers and wireless chargers are the latest trend. Market is shifting from lithiumion power banks to polymer power banks which are lightweight, sleek; stylish wireless models and Bluetooth earphones & headphones are the other latest trends in mobile accessories market segment.”

charging, wireless charging, portable power, wireless headphones and ear buds, and wearables & VR headsets. Fitness trackers & smart-watches will also be the next big sources of growth. We at Corseca invest continuously in the R&D to improve wireless connectivity distances, craft more ergonomic and specialized designs for various types of users.”

from apps, heart-rate trackers, BP indicators and waterproof are becoming common.”

AkhileshChopraofBlueispeaks,“Thelatestwirelessgadgets are: wireless power banks; wireless chargers and wireless earplugs. Nowadays, the Indian consumers are increasingly using wireless power banks and wireless chargers to charge their portable devices. Next, the Bluetooth devices help to get rid of bulky gadgets, easy to handle, stylish and trendy, and hence are growing in demand.” Mandeep Arora of UBON asserts, “We at Ubon are aiming big with AI & machine Learning. We are planning to enhance our portfolio in the speaker & headphone category by developing voice & Internetenabled speakers and headphones. People no longer want to indulge in wires; instead, they prefer wireless products for the day-to-day needs.” Sudhir Kumar of AMYO comments, “With rapidly changing technology, the product life cycles have become short and the accessories providers must keep up-to-date with not just the technology ut also with the beautification that attracts customers. AI-powered connecting devices in the consumer electronics are expected to pick pace in the upcoming years. We at AMYO aim to provide all the accessories that are required by the consumers to complete their mobility experience twith advanced technology at affordable prices.” Ashok Rajpal of Ambrane briefs, “Wireless ear buds, wireless charging power banks, fast charging output mobile chargers etc are gaining in demand. In the smart wearables, features like support calling, messaging, real-time notifications

Manoj Seal of eGifts4all concluded, “Overall market is moving towards trendy accessories and young customers are looking for innovative products, including multicolor products. One important point is innovative and attractive packaging also impresses the customers.”

Brand’s View About Price “I believe the Indian customers are always opentonewtechnologiesandadd-onsaslong as the brands come up with some unique features and concepts. Brands must spend more on quality and trending features.” Mr Arun Singh, Director, Zealot

Rajesh Doshi of Zebronics specifies, “India is still a pricesensitive market but the scenario is changing. Earlier it was all about the price but now people are clearly looking for products that are fast, functional and have multiple options.” Komal Agarwal of comments, “The consumers have started to realize the benefits of purchasing a long-lasting product instead of getting into the hassles of purchasing a cheaper, low-quality, short-life products multiple times. This is why Pebble has been able to grow significantly and maintain its brand reputation.” Arun Singh of Zealot briefs, “Price-sensitivity is still an issue.

Mobility APRIL 2019


34

special story “Adopting a unique go-to-market approach, we are working with a mission to serve consumers in T2 and T3 cities where we see a growing demand for mobile accessories, to enable them to join the race of digitalization and advanced lifestyle.” Mr. Puneet Gupta, Business Head, Oraimo Accessories

People often compare offline prices and features with prices and features of products on online portals.” Deepali Jain of Sound One Technologies expresses, “I feel that India is fairly price-sensitive as compared to the global markets. But now Indians have started to choose quality products though they cost a little more, rather than buying cheap products which will be junked after a few months.” Pawan Parwani of Landmark opines, “The pricesensitiveness trend will certainly change and the demand will shift towards higher quality products. We are focusing on investing in innovative and versatile yet cost-effective products to help change the mindset of our clients and drive value for money.” Manish Gupta of Gizmore comments, “India is a pricesensitive market but trends are changing. Urbanization and increasing disposable incomes of the population are expected to drive the spending on accessories in the coming years.” Sandeep Popli of Damson Technologies asserts, “The trend is already changing and the new consumers even in T2 and T3 cities do not mind spending ‘a little extra’ if the accessory serves their desire of trend, style, comfort and use.” Akhilesh Chopra of Bluei comments, “The price-sensitiveness trend is changing as the buyers are now moving towards quality accessories. We at Bluei largely focus on providing secured technology and enhanced customer service.” Puneet Gupta of Oraimo Accessories shares, “Price-sensitiveness will continue to prevail in the country. But, the demand coming from rural and T2 & T3 towns has been indicative that consumers are looking for better functionality and experience than just low-price.” Rajneesh Wadhawan of Glorious Electronics states, “India has been a price-sensitive market, but now, this trend is changing as standard Indian brands are offering quality products at affordable prices with warranty. The Indian government’s efforts to make BIS certification mandatory have reduced the grey market to a great extent.” Mandeep Arora of UBON opines, “Although the Indian consumers are price-sensitive, if we offer value-for-money products, people tend to spend without showing too much concern for the price. UBON aims to deliver the latest technology, stylish, long-lasting accessories at affordable prices.”

Mobility APRIL 2019

Sudhir Kumar AMYO adds, “India is a very pricesensitive market. However, since the overall market will grow 3-fold by the end of 2024, so there is still a lot of scope for the standard brands to tap..” Ashok Rajpal of Ambrane concluded, “India is a price-sensitive market, but there is always room for those who provide quality, reliability and top class features.”

Challenges Ahead There are a lot of unbranded products in the unorganized market which attract customers with low-cost but in the long-run these products are not reliable and do not provide good user experience, but their low prices are very tempting to the consumers though they cost a lot in the longrun. This has become a big challenge to the branded players providing quality at a price. Rajesh Doshi from Zebronics states, “The biggest challenge the mobile accessories providers facing is there are a lot of unbranded goods which serve well for short-term. As a brand of masses, Zebronics always aims to give the value-formoney products with best quality and aesthetical appearance with warranty and service support.” Talking about the opportunities for mobile accessories providers in the Indian market, Ravi Kumar Daryani of Zavia, reveals, “Today, once products are ready, they should be sold immediately; otherwise price-fluctuations and obsoleteness can cost the providers a lot. Next, providers should incorporate multiple functions into a single device, as people want several features like mobile stand, wireless chargers, etc in a single device.” “India expects to add more than 125 million smartphone users in the next 2 years. So there are plenty of opportunities for the brands who know how to provide products with best user experience and trendy features. Sound One has an exclusive range of mobile accessories within affordable prices.” Ms. Deepali Jain, Co-Founder & Director – Marketing, Sound One Technologies

Komal Agarwal from Pebble says, “The increasing clutter of regional brands and unbranded products in the market is affecting margins due to extensive price wars. Secondly, it is also confusing the consumers on what is the right product to buy when they see a ‘similar looking’ product varying in prices from Rs. 200 to 2000.” Puneet Gupta of Oraimo Accessories shares, “We feel that the biggest challenge the market facing today is the entry of low-quality products. These low-quality, cheap imported products (often fakes) are disturbing the healthy growth of the industry, often misleading the consumers. With low R&D, no warranty or service support, these grey market accessories are creating unhealthy competition.” Pawan Parwani of Landmark briefs, “Currently the biggest


special story “Overall market is moving towards trendy accessories and young customers are looking for innovative products, including multicolor products. One important point is innovative and attractive packaging also impresses customers.” Mr. Manoj Seal, Director Strategic Alliances, eGifts4all

challenge is the rapid innovation seen in the market that makes the life of any product limited.” Harsh Kukadia of HK Concepts expresses, “Today, neither the channel nor the consumers are loyal to a particular brand. As a result, most of the brands are having a hard time staying afloat in the market. Moreover, the recent inflow of cheap Chinese products has led to a decreasing demand for expensive branded products as the price difference between the two is significantly high.” Nishant Goel of clarifies, “We are very positive that with the fast-changing Indian import regulations, only quality & established suppliers would survive in the long-run and Mr. Sudip De, Director, Doel grey market will shrink rapidly.” International

D K Bharti of e-Ping clarifies, Pvt Ltd “The Indian accessories market is able to offer a lot of opportunities despite the challenges Technologies that sync with the newest smartphones, value-added features such as the selfie click button, LED lights, torch, in-built cables with fast charge option to multiple devices, high power banks, etc are in demand. Next, wireless technology is the future. The latest wearables are coming with AI and IoT features that keep track of information and instructions.” Sandeep Popli of Damson Technologies says, “The

issues of threat to privacy, lack of standardization, counterfeit production of branded accessories and the compulsion to

adhere to the competitive pricing in order to safeguard market share continue to be the challenges in the mobile accessories market.” Akhilesh Chopra of Bluei comments, “In my opinion, the main challenge is from the cheap quality products, dupes and imitations which are confusing the buyers. My message to customers is that they should buy accessories only from proven brands and avoid buying imitations.”

Rajneesh Wadhawan of Glorious Electronics adds, “The biggest challenge of mobile accessories market is that the market is crowded and flooded with unorganized players selling low-price, inferior quality products. But slowly the consumers are shifting towards the branded products having warranty and after-sales-service.” Mandeep Arora, UBON, opine, “In my opinion, grey market, rapid innovations, and obsolescence of “By 2022, there will be 830 million smartphone users in India, accounting for 60% of the population, according to market research reports. This will open a great opportunity for mobile phone accessories. The Mobile Accessories Market in India is expected to be INR 15,000 to 17,000 Cr in the current year. Doel as a brand believes in bringing the latest innovations to the users. DOEL’s Harmony78 , a Music Power Bank comes with 5-in-1 features (Bluetooth speaker, LED torch, micro SD support, AUX input, call receiver and power bank). Doel is also the first to launch personal AC in India. Doel will continue to bring exciting mobile accessories with new innovations to the Indian users at affordable prices. Our focus will be on great quality, exciting innovations, trending features, and affordable price.”

technology are the great challenges. To face this, providers need to be always innovative, creative & distinctive in product designs as well as marketing strategies. UBON incorporates the latest technologies and updates product lines on regular basis.” Sudhir Kumar of AMYO briefs, “The main challenge remains how to keep up-to-date with the latest and changing technologies and be able to provide it at budget costs. We at AMYO provide technologically superior products while meeting the changing requirements of the customers.”

“Our aim at Zavia is to provide the most economical Bluetooth speakers that can give superior experience at a price point. Great quality, aesthetic looks, durability, competitive price, good features & functionality are the hallmarks of the Zavia’s Bluetooth speakers.” Mr. Ravi Kumar Daryani, Director, Zavia

35

Untapped Opportunities Rajesh Doshi of Zebronics comments, “The Indian market offers continuous opportunities for those who offer quality and latest technologies, despite challenges. Zebronics delivers products that are based on EQR (Excellence, Quality and Reliability) principle are available at an affordable range.”

Komal Agarwal of Pebble briefs, “The 70% unbranded and cluttered, unorganized mobile accessories market is the biggest opportunity to penetrate and cut into their share for the brands trying to establish themselves.”

Mobility APRIL 2019


36

special story “Indian mobile accessory brands should develop and provide world-class products, stand up to the MNC brands, set new benchmarks to the mobile accessories industry and bring honor to the country. India is big market but low-quality, grey market has a big problem in the Industry. The government and the white market brands should find ways to curb this grey market.” Mr. Jitender Bhatia, JK Enterprises (JBTEK)

Arun Singh of Zealot expresses, “According to me, the huge population in India offers a great opportunity, not only for mobile phones but also for accessories providers.” Deepali Jain of Sound One Technologies opines, “The Chinese products with low quality and low prices have invaded the market rapidly until people started to realize the quality factor. Now the quality is the concern for users and Sound One is a brand that focuses on the quality of the products.” Puneet Gupta of Oraimo Accessories comments, “The accessory market is booming significantly and will continue to do so. While most of these users are from the metros and T2 cities, we see a huge potential in T3 & T4 cities too. The T3 & T4 cities will witness increased demand for mobile accessories in the coming years.” Harsh Kukadia of HK Concepts says, “We, as manufacturers, see a great potential in the OEM/ODM market. Demand for made-in-India products has increased a lot. Being a renowned manufacturer of Make in India mobile accessories, we see a lot of opportunity in this segment.” Manish Gupta of Gizmore states, “Growing smartphone penetration is set to further push up the accessories market in India. In 2014, the percentage of smartphone users in India was mere 21.4%, which rose to 29.8% in 2016 and is expected to rise to 39% by 2019.” D K Bharti of e-Ping opines, “Growing urbanization, rising disposable incomes, active youth population and competitive prices will further accelerate the demand for quality accessories.” Sandeep Popli of Damson Technologies, opines, “The latest technology, trendy features, comfort, right price, etc all play their part while addressing a segment of consumers, be it Bluetooth speakers, fitness wearable gadgets or headphones.” Akhilesh Chopra of Bluei, asserts, “Inclination towards comfort and ease is drawing demand for wireless smartphone accessories as never before. Future wireless technologies are expected to increase the efficiency and convenience further and wireless accessories shall define the future.” Mandeep Arora of UBON comments, “In my opinion, Indian market is so huge that there are a lot of

Mobility APRIL 2019

untapped opportunities. We are presently expanding our Indian consumer base and enhancing the consumer experience of our products.” Sudhir Kumar of AMYO states, “With deeply penetrated distribution network, AMYO has been successful in establishing its presence at most multistore outlets. AMYO aims to make the experience of mobility complete by offering easily accessible, affordable mobile phone accessories and ensure availability in maximum multi-retail stores across the offline market.”

Kapil Wadhwa, Director, Champion Mobiles, comments, “India today is the 2nd largest smartphone market in the world and it is expected to grow further as still many million people are yet to switch to smartphones. This opens a huge and growing market for mobile accessories. Quality is our main merit and we are getting very good “The number of quality-sensitive people in India is considerably lower than the pricesensitive people. I think this trend is not going to change significantly in the near future and need to keep this factor in mind wile designing the products and market strategy.” Mr. Ashok Rajpal, Director, Ambrane

response from the market for our products. In future, only those who provide quality products and top class service will survive in the mobile accessories market.” Ashok Rajpal of Ambrane states, “Today, technological advancements are welcomed by Indian consumers, triggering the opportunity for the mobile phone accessories. providers.” “The size of the mobile accessories is going to increase by 3-fold in the next 5 years. BT hands free, BT speakers, Fast chargers and Data cables are going to witness a huge growth. Value-for-money will always lead the market,” concluded, Manoj Seal of eGifts4all.

Big Opportunity For Committed Brands There is a vast unfilled vacuum in the Indian mobile accessories market and also there is a lot to understand real requirements of the Indian audience for accessories. Rajesh Doshi of Zebronics comments, “We are focusing on tapping the unfilled market with our versatile and vast range of accessory products ranging from extensive charging cables, mobile chargers, car chargers, power banks, wireless portable speakers, unique headphones to earphones, with high standards and quality.” Komal Agarwal of Pebble shares, “There are only a few standard mobile accessory brands in the market. We at pebble plan to capitalize on our brand equity gained till date and focus more on brand-building based on quality, reliability, and affordability to increase our market share in the coming years and be a long-term player in this industry.”



38

special story

Arun Singh of Zealot declares, “I believe, the Indian customers are always open to see new technologies and addons, so they always give chance to new brands as long as these brands come up with unique features and concepts. Brands must spend more on incentives to the channel and quality & functionalities to customers, instead of spending money on brand ambassadors.” Deepali Jain of Sound One Technologies comments, “Brands can be successful only if they come up with new and interesting deliverables. Sound one has an amazing set of products starting from 3-in-1 braided cable, headphones with FM to SD slot.” Puneet Gupta of Oraimo Accessories comments, “We see a huge, untapped demand in T2 &T3 cities markets. With a mission to enable the T2 &T3 cities customers to join the race of digitalization, we identify and develop products that suit their aspirations and give them a better lifestyle.” Pawan Parwani of Landmark briefs, “Consistent innovation and learning from the rapidly developing industry are two things that help us keep our products relevant in the market.” Harsh Kukadia of HK Concepts says, “Brands must provide high quality products at a pocket-friendly price. We at HK Concepts aim to provide high quality products at a good price.” Nishant Goel of Gizmore shares, “Despite the fact that the demand for wireless technology is presently concentrated in select population segments and regions, Gizmore believes that wireless technologies will become common in future.” D K Bharti of e-Ping comments, “Though there is a big grey market in India, we see a lot of scope for new and white brands. e-Ping offers all the products with the latest technology and great quality. We provide top class accessories at much lesser prices.” Sandeep Popli of Damson Technologies opines, “Yes, there is an unfilled vacuum in this market. At Corseca, we plan to bring products that are ‘trend setters’ that cater to various price points. In addition, at Corseca we want to ensure the easy availability and access of our products to the consumer through both offline and online channels and most importantly we want to be a brand that is also known for its customer service.” Akhilesh Chopra of Bluei says, “To counter grey market companies that are selling very poor quality products at very low prices, there should be some authorized bodies manned by qualified professionals who can check the standard of the cheap products before they launch in the market.” Rajneesh Wadhawan of Glorious electronics asserts, “There are lot of opportunities in the Indian mobile accessories as the market is growing at very fast pace and finally the companies and brands that offer good quality products and giving the customer effective after-salesservice and warranty will be the WINNERS.” Talking about the opportunities for mobile accessories providers in the Indian market, Ravi Kumar Daryani, Director, Zavia, reveals, “Three are many players in the market, but still there is a lot of opportunity for the committed

Mobility APRIL 2019

players. The current challenge is that once products are developed, they should be supplied to the market and sold immediately; otherwise price-fluctuations, obsoleteness and imitation by the competitors can cost the providers a lot.” Mandeep Arora of UBON asserts, “We aim to be the best consumer electronics and accessories company in India in terms of every aspect. Statistically speaking, only those brands would be able to survive who move parallel with the consumer’s demands, changing technology and trends. Indian consumers rely a lot on the ‘after-sales-service’ that remains an important factor when it comes to consumer satisfaction & customer retention and we cannot afford to compromise on that.” Sudhir Kumar of AMYO comments, “To tap the unfilled vacuum, at AMYO, wer are aggressively exploiting our already existing strong distribution network.” Ashok Rajpal from Ambrane India, states, “There is an unfilled vacuum as most market brands are unable to maintain standards. In our opinion, maintaining standards and thus gaining brand visibility & reach is not a short-term magic but a brand should have long term vision and timebased strategies.” Manoj Seal of eGifts4all opines, “Yes, there is a vacuum-having proper sales & supply management will be a key factor to rule the market. Customer satisfaction will ultimately generate repeat-business and help to increase the market share over a period of time.” Jitender Bhatia, JK Enterprises (JBTEK), says, “JBTEK is a Make in India brand. We provide excellent quality and after-sales-service through our distributor’s allover India. Every month we keep launching new models and new products. Today, Chinese brands are dominating our market by pushing aside the domestic brands. Indian mobile accessory brands should develop and provide world class products, stand up to the MNC brands, set new benchmarks to the mobile accessories industry”

At Last The Indian mobile accessories market is vast and fast growing, but there are challenges and grey spots. With people slowly but steadily shifting to wireless technologies, wireless chargers, headphones, earphones etc are going to witness a surge in sales in the coming times. There are a lot of grey market players who are selling accessories at dirt cheap prices. Though they do not give warranty and any kind of support, they are attracting customers who are looking only for cheap products, without bothering about the quality. Low quality products come at a very low cost but they cost is more in the long-run because the life of those products is short and the quality is hopeless. Make in India is still limping because government has imposed customs duties on essential imported components which the Indian manufacturing ecosystem is still not mature enough to domestically manufacture. Overall the message is for the brands determined, systematic, quality-oriented, market-smart, and forwardlooking and offering trendy features in their accessories, the Indian market will continue to provide a great number of opportunities to sustain and grow.



40

featured

JBTEK makes and sells only quality mobile accessories performance in the market. Committed to Make in India, JBTEKhasastate-of-the-artmanufacturinginfrastructure backed by advance R&D department and strict quality control procedures, well-qualified professionals, updated amenities, on-time delivery system, etc. To enhance the reach of their products, JBTEK has reliable distributors whosupplyJBTEK’sproductsindifferentstatesandregions of the nation. “JBTEK is a Make in India brand and our products have very high quality. We provide excellent after-sales-service through our distributors allover India. Every month we keep launching new models and new products. Today, India is the second largest smartphone market, but Chinese brands are dominating our market by pushing aside the domestic brands. Indian mobile accessory brands should develop Mr. Jitender Bhatia, and provide world class products, stand up to the MNC brands, set new benchmarks to the mobile accessories JK Enterprises (JBTEK) industry and bring honor to the country. I wish the best tarted in 2010, based out of Delhi, JK Enterprises of luck to everyone who tries to make India great,” adds providesawiderangeofmobileaccessoriesincluding Mr. Jitender Bhatia. power chargers, wireless chargers, powerbanks, e-waste has been one of the fastest growing waste headphones, cables, Bluetooth speakers, ear phones, etc streams and has become a main concern for the under their brand manufacturers and also name JBTEK, in a the societies throughout Indian mobile accessory brands should variety of models the world. While e-waste in different colors contains many valuable develop and provide world class products, & configurations at materials such as stand up to the MNC brands, set new economical prices aluminum, copper, gold, benchmarks to the mobile accessories to meet the needs palladium and silver, it industry and bring honor to the country. of different types of also contains harmful customers. substances like cadmium, lead and mercury. In the Mr Jitender Bhatia, JK Enterprises (JBTEK), in an absence of proper awareness, disposing e-waste in landfill interactions with Mobility magazine comments, “We believe in quality, we make and we sell only quality. Our can result in toxic emissions to the air, contamination of packaging is of international standards. Our prices are water and soil posing serious health and environmental very affordable and competitive that give value-for-money hazards. JK Enterprises understands its responsibility and products. We reach our products to the market through the in this regards they have tied-up with one of the leading and channel—distributors and dealers. We have a wide range authorized e-waste recyclers namely Greenzon Recycling of chargers to meet the varied needs of charging. Indian Private Limited for facilitating their customers to dispose mobile accessories market is huge and wide and we plan of their old electronic equipments which they want to junk.

S

to reach our products allover India.”

“In future, we will come up with more models of accessories, expand our line-up and also reach out to those All the JBTEK products are designed, developed and manufactured using advanced technology to enhance their regions where we still not strong.”

Mobility APRIL 2019



42

report

Electronic Waste Sector Can Create Half A Million Jobs In India By 2025: IfcT

I

ndia: International Finance Corporation, the largest development finance institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets, expects the electronic waste sector to create 450,000 direct jobs by 2025 across the value chain of collection, aggregation, dismantling, and recycling. There is potential to create another 180,000 jobs in the allied sectors of transportation and manufacturing. IFC has been working in the e-waste sector since 2012. In response to the government’s E-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2016, IFC and Karo Sambhav – a producer responsibility organization (PRO) – launched the India E-waste program in 2017 to demonstrate that a panIndia, grassroots-level solution to the sector’s challenges is possible. The program focused on supporting the PRO model and developing the ecosystem for responsible E-Waste management. Over 4,000 metric tons of e-waste has been collected from citizens and corporations and recycled responsibly under the program, and 2,260,000 citizens, including school children, sensitized for safe disposal of end-of-life electronics. “IFC develops private sector solutions to solve complex challenges the world faces. Through the India E-Waste Program, we have created a scalable and inclusive private sector-led solution, which will boost formal employment and create investment opportunities in a fast growing sector in India,” said Vikramjit Singh, Senior Country Officer, IFC. India is one of the fastest growing markets for electronics and the demand is projected to reach $400 billion by 2020. E-waste is the world’s fastest growing waste stream, where India accounts for more than 2 million tons of e-waste annually. This is expected to reach 5 million tons by 2020. To mark the completion of the program and to discuss solutions to managing e-waste, IFC hosted a conference in New Delhi today. “The e-waste sector has significant potential to contribute

Mobility APRIL 2019

to the country’s economy and generate employment. The electrical and electronics industry has been cooperating with the government and has shown considerable initiative for handling e-waste responsibly. If the responsibility is shared between the government, producers, and consumers of e-waste, then efficient management of e-waste can be successfully achieved in India. We are happy to see the commitment from IFC in helping the sector grow in a responsible manner,” said Sonu Singh, Joint Director, Hazardous Substances Management Division, Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. The discussion during the conference highlighted the investment opportunities in the sector that have significant potential to contribute to the country’s economy in terms of capital investments and employment potential. IFC is working on a comprehensive investment potential analysis for the e-waste sector, which will soon be released. Speaking at the event, Pranshu Singhal, Founder and Director of Karo Sambhav, said, “IFC’s partnership with us has acted as a catalyst for developing a robust ecosystem that enables a transparent and accountable system to channel e-waste for responsible recycling.” Thomas Lindhqvist, the Swedish Academic often referred to as the ‘Father of Extended Producer Responsibility’, who was present at the event, said, “While individuals should be aware of the right practice to dispose e-waste, under EPR, the responsibility lies with the producers to ensure safe disposal of their products when they reach the end-oflife stage. Disposal of e-waste through the right channels can be ensured through effective implementation of the regulation” He emphasized on the importance of EPR as a policy tool to solve e-waste crisis across the world. He also spoke about the importance of promoting a circular economy to achieve a sustainable society.



Date of Pub: 10th April, 2019 | Postal Dt.: 16th & 17th of same Month/ Posted at NDPSO

R.N.I. No. DELENG/2004/14198

Postal Reg. No.: DL(S)-01/3442/2019-21


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.