G'Five making laptops, tablets for mass market

China-based mobile handset manufacturer G'Five group is planning to enter the laptop and tablet PC business targeting the mass segment. The company is currently developing a few laptop and tablet PC models, according to a senior executive of the company.

“This is a new segment we are adding to our existing products, to offer more products that the market needs. We are developing around three to four laptop models and tablet pc models in our R&D,” said Wintson Zhang, director and CEO, G'Five group.

The product range would include both the low-end products and the premium products to capture a wider market. Initially, the new products would be launched in China and would be taken to other parts of the world. However, he did not reveal the time line for the launch.

The company, which has a presence in India with low-priced mobile phones, recently entered into a joint venture with Chennai-based Munoth group to launch touchscreen mobile phones and tablet PCs in the country. The mobile handsets for the mid- and premium markets, between a price range of Rs 2,000 to Rs 16,000 per handsets including Android-based smartphones.

The 50:50 joint venture firm, Munoth G'Five Telecom Ltd (MGTL), would later offer value-added services (VAS) and operate in the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) space. The company, which would focus on launching mobile handsets and other communication device first, is planning to launch around 10 products including mobile handsets and a tablet PC before the end of October 2011.

The handsets for the JV company would be manufactured in G'Five's China manufacturing facility. MGTL would launch the products in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, where G'Five already has a market presence, in three months. Further, the products would be launched in Australia, New Zealand and North America in collaboration with operators.