iVK Mobile to launch Android phones, tablet PCs

Buoyed by the response from its entry-level phones,iVK Mobile private Ltd is planning to introduce Android phones and tablet PC in Indian market by the end of this financial year. Currently, the Gurgaon-based company, which is a joint venture between Chinese cellular handset major GXT and Angel investor Anil K Kaushik, markets entry-level handsets under the SICT brandname.

With a focus on the rural and the semi-urban markets, the JV has brought in a wide range of low cost and feature-rich mobile handsets in the Indian market. iVK Mobile private Ltd, CEO, Anil K Kaushik said the firm started operations in September last year and received “overwhelming” response from the market. “Currently, we are present in eight states: Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Karnatka, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa,” he told Business Standard. “We had already sold 1 lakh handsets till January 12.”

The company is planning to “penetrate deeper” into Indian market by increasing our presence in other states. Currently, it has 12 phones in its portfolio ranging from Rs 1150 to Rs 2399.

“Further, going ahead we are planning to launch Android phones and Tablet PCs in Indian market by March this year,” he said.

“We are targeting to cover pan-India by June 12 this year. The company is planning to increase its distribution network from 250 to 600. As far sales is concerned, in the current year (Jan-Dec 12), we are expecting to sell one million handsets,” Kaushik said. “We are continually creating networks and service centers with local distributors and working closely with them to provide a guaranteed after-sales service and market study to keep ahead in the mobile phone industry.” The total handset market in India is about 15-18 million units and likely to grow by 10-15 per cent this year, he added.

On being asked about the mushrooming growth of handset players, he said, “At present, we have around 100 players but finally consolidation will take place and only 15-20 serious player would exist. Further, with the implementation of Specific absorption rate (SAR) which is a measure of the rate at which energy is absorbed by the body when exposed to a radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic field, from September 2012 will wipe out non-serious players.”

He also said iVK planned to launch a separate mobile accessories division under the JV. GXT Mobile Communication Co, Ltd, is one of the most reputable mobile phone manufacturing companies in China and ranks as one the largest manufacturer of mobile phones in China and fifth-largest producer of mobile phone battery packs in the world.