|
| Sony logs on to tablet PC domain in India |
| Viveat Susan Pinto / Mumbai Jul 13, 2011, 00:59 IST |
|
 It clearly is a very late entrant in the tablet computer market, but Japanese electronics maker Sony has big plans for the segment. It aims to be number two in the market within a year of launch.
Two products, codenamed S1 and S2, have been unveiled by the electronics major in April in Tokyo. Sales of the products are likely to commence shortly, say company executives. “The launch will happen soon,” says Masaru Tamagawa, managing director, Sony India. “Teaser ads are already visible on the Sony Corporation website. And most countries including India are waiting for the shipments to happen,” he says.
For the Indian entity, which figures among the top 10 markets for Sony with a turnover of Rs 5,700 crore, the launch of the two tablet PC models, will represent a new avenue of growth.
Sony’s chairman, president and chief executive officer Howard Stringer already indicated during a trip to India in March this year that he would like to see the Indian entity amongst the top five markets in the Sony universe. An aggressive foray into new categories besides a push in existing categories is expected to drive this growth, say company executives.
Sony's product strategy in India rests on a few key pillars including the Bravia flat panel television sets, Vaio laptops and Cyber-shot cameras among others.
With tablet PCs, the firm is expected to up the ante in a segment that is increasingly getting crowded by the day.
Archrival Samsung is on its way to launching two tablet PCs this month in India - a 10.1-inch and an 8.9-inch - models of the Galaxy Tab. It already has a seven-inch GalaxyTab, which was launched in November last year.
Another rival Apple, also the pioneer of the tablet PC market in the world, is out with its second version of the iPad.
Players such as Dell, Blackberry, HTC have all launched tablets in the marketplace. So the going is not likely to be easy for Sony.
But given its penchant for creating classy products with a heavy thrust on advertising and marketing, the firm is expected to leave no stone unturned in its effort to win consumers over.
This strategy has been amply on display in segments such as flat panel television sets and laptops. During the World Cup this year, Sony unveiled over 10 to 15 models of its Bravia TVs in one go to capitalise on both the cricket fever and overriding consumer need to view it on a flat panel television sets .
The firm is expecting to close this financial year with an overall sales growth of 35 per cent — lower than the 46 per cent achieved last year.
In laptops, for instance, it has unveiled a host of new Vaio models taking its total tally to 62. Endorsed by actor Kareena Kapoor, the firm has set aside a Rs 50-crore marketing budget with the aim of doubling sales to 500,000 units from the current 250,000 units.
Sony is also investing heavily in its distribution set-up, taking the number of exclusive brand shops to 300 from the current 270 besides adding 30 new Vaio stores .
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Read Business news in |  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advertisements |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Content Guide
