Looking to lay your hands on the latest premium smartphone models by Infinix? The wait is over. Log on to the biggest sale of the season on Flipkart this Republic Day and buy the top-selling Hot 11S (4GB/64GB and 4GB/128GB) and Note 11S (6GB/64GB and 8GB/128GB) at discounts like never before. The sale will begin on January 17 and remain active till January 22. However, Flipkart Plus members can get early access to the discounts from January 16.
Hot 11S: A massive upgrade in the Hot series, the Hot 11S is a #FastForward device backed by the latest Helio G88 (12nm) octa-core processor, MediatekHyperEngine 2.0 gaming technology and the novel Dar-Link Game Boost technology. Operating on the latest Android 11 with the upgraded XOS 7.6 skin, the device stands out for its 6.78-inch display with FHD+ resolution with 90Hz refresh rate, a 50MP AI triple rear camera, and a heavy-duty 5,000mAh battery with 18W Fast Charge support.
Note 11S: The powerful new Note 11s comes with a 6.95-inch punch-hole FHD+ display and is the second device in this smartphone segment to have a refresh rate of 120Hz. The device is the second in its price segment to be backed by a powerful MediaTek Helio G96 processor along with the Dar-Link 2.0 Game Boost technology. Note 11S also stands out for its 50MP AI triple rear camera with quad-LED flash and a heavy-duty 5,000mAh battery with 33W of Safe Fast Charge Support certified by TUV Rheinland.
In a bid to strengthen its leadership presence in India, HyperX, the gaming peripherals team at HP Inc. and brand leader in gaming and esports, has signed the country’s most successful esports player Ankit Panth as its first Indian brand ambassador. Ankit’s appointment is in line with HyperX’s vision of “We’re All Gamers” – As long as you keep the passion toward gaming and really enjoy every second when playing games, you are a gamer and We’re All Gamers.
Commenting on the appointment, HyperX said, “Being a reliable brand for gaming peripherals, we are strenuously working to engage gaming community in India and it’s a bolster to have a great talent to represent the brand locally. We have been watching and admiring his gaming talent for quite a while and are thrilled to have Ankit finally join our ranks. With Ankit Panth onboard as our Indian brand ambassador, we’re confident that his amazing abilities and creative talents will echo with HyperX’s mission and expand brand’s reach to more young gamers who share the same passions.”
Ankit ‘V3nom’ Panth is the brains behind India’s most successful esports company, Team Brutality. During his formative gaming career, the Mumbai-based gamer encountered several hurdles that restricted him from making a name for himself. Owing to Ankit’s never-ending strive for success, dedication, and humble attitude, he was able to break the traditional chains of middle-class society and become a respected esports player in India. Today, Ankit is the only brand ambassador of Alienware and Intel India and the only Indian gamer to be honoured as a Red Bull Athlete for esports. Besides his prowess as a professional gamer, Ankit is known for his fantastic DJing skills and fitness.
Taking charge as brand ambassador of HyperX, Ankit Panth said, “I’m delighted to collaborate with HyperX that offers quality gaming experience to gamers. The company is now at the cusp of transformation in the gaming industry, and we expect big things from it in the near future. I wish to sync my gaming knowledge with HyperX’s vision, accelerating its growth and foothold in the country.”
In Ankit’s prolific 10+ years of gaming career, his passion and knowledge for gaming have attracted several eyeballs from renowned companies, with many sponsoring his talent, including Intel, Dell, Alienware, Red Bull, and GoPro. Ankit Panth’s social media presence has also scaled over the years, accounting for 6600+ Facebook likes, 6252 Twitter followers, 115000 YouTube followers, and 64.5K Instagram followers so far.
Esports company Nodwin Gaming has added one more feather to its cap by acquiring comic, pop culture and superheroes merchandising retailer — Planet Superheroes. This new addition will enable Nodwin Gaming to offer iconic global merchandise to the millions of youths who engage with Nodwin Gaming via its immensely popular IPs such as India Premiership, VCC, NH7 and DreamHack.
Nodwin will also expand on the current offerings of Planet Superheroes by exploring partnerships with global publishers like Krafton, Gameloft, Riot Games etc., to create innovative and locally relevant merchandise and licensing offerings on games like BGMI, Valorant, PUBG PC, Asphalt, CSGO, etc., that have become household names.
Planet Superheroes (PSH) is a tech-enabled, omni-channel brand that retails licensed character merchandise or ‘Superhero Merch’ as it is popularly known. PSH offers official licensed merchandise from Marvel, Warner Bros, Disney, Viacom Networks, Cartoon Network, Fox Studios, Hamleys and Toys R Us, among others. The variety ranges from action figures, collectibles, toys for kids, fashion & home accessories, stationery and apparel.
Also Read | Nodwin Gaming acquires 10% stake in Rusk Media
Planet Superheroes has catered to 2L+ consumers and has shipped over 5L orders since its incorporation in 2015. It has partnered with over 10+ marquee licensed global and domestic IP partners and has created a strong global supply chain with omni-channel operations. The just-in time operations of the firm have helped it run a highly cost-efficient business, providing strong operating leverage with scale. Over the last one year, it has also built its proprietary social commerce engine that it will integrate with Nodwin’s in-house assets to create a first-of-its-kind ‘Influencer-First’ merchandising engine.
“The Indian gaming and esports industry have witnessed a metamorphic rise in its fan base in recent years. The acquisition of Planet Superheroes will enable Nodwin Gaming to have another strategic touch point with fans that celebrates a common love for all things gaming, pop culture and esports. We believe in increasing the existing offering of global brands to include mega tournaments, Games and even the popular talent and players like Mortal, Samay Raina, Tanmay, Ankit Panth and others,” said Akshat Rathee, Founder and MD, Nodwin Gaming.
“There is huge untapped monetization potential for gaming companies via merchandising and we share a common vision in realizing this potential with PSH joining Nodwin. I believe we will get two immediate wins, a larger consumer base for our existing IPs and a new supply of licenses and partnerships in the gaming industry. I have known Akshat since we met on a Comic Con panel discussion a few years ago and am very excited to join hands to leverage the talent and influencer access that Nodwin can provide us,” said Jaineel Aga, Founder and CEO of PSH.
Nodwin Gaming continues building out its portfolio of offerings to gaming and esports fans in the country. This acquisition adds to its recently acquired minority stake in new-age digital media organization Rusk Media and the acquisition of the gaming and adjacent IP business of OML Entertainment, taking on the BACARDI NH7 Weekender music festival IP, the YouTube fan Festival and gaming talent like Samay Raina and Tanmay Bhat.
Also Read: CashBook explores new frontiers with Indus App Bazaar
Homegrown tech lifestyle brand TAGG has been on an aggressive smartwatch launch spree. The company today launched its next smartwatch of the Verve series, namely, TAGG Verve Active. The smartwatch comes with a large screen of 1.70 inches at an affordable price of Rs 1,899, making it the only smartwatch in this price segment (under Rs 2,000) to offer the biggest screen with 24 sports modes and body temperature sensor.
TAGG Co-founder Rohit Dhingra said, “The company is known for its promising products with superlative features at an affordable price range. TAGG launched its third smartwatch Verve Neo, earlier this November, and within a month, it is one of the best-selling hot seller smartwatches on Amazon India. Taking the legacy forward, the company has launched another smartwatch, Verve Active, which is as affordable as its predecessor, with an improved sensor and distinctive features.”
Apart from being a fitness tracker, it comes with an improved sensor. The TAGG Verve Active smartwatch provides a complete healthcare solution with an updated Heart Rate Sensor that monitors your heart rate 24 hours a day. It also has an improved SpO2 measurement as well, which measures blood oxygen saturation.
Additionally, the watch also offers an accurate temperature sensor. Keeping women’s health in mind, TAGG Verve Active tracks menstrual cycles so one can concentrate on other important tasks and give their worries to the smartwatch tracker.
With 24 versatile sports mode options, 35 days standby time and a Realtek8752x chipset processor, the all-new TAGG watch comes with a dedicated app to enhance your experience with in-app GPS and 100+ watch faces.
TAGG Verve Active weighs just 38gms, is IP68 waterproofed, and comes with 2.5D full-screen touch. In addition to this, TAGG Verve Active has SMS and Call Alerts, QQ WeChat, Facebook, Line, WhatsApp, and other reminders that can help you take just the important calls, weather forecasts, a timer, a stopwatch to keep a track of your activities. TAGG Verve Active comes with a 12-month warranty. TAGG Verve Active will be available on Flipkart.
Founded in 1992, Quantum Hi-Tech is one of the pioneering lifestyle and consumer technology brands in the country. From computer accessories to mobile and personal care accessories to audio devices, Quantum has over three decades offered the widest bouquet of products than any other homegrown brand in the segment. Envisioned with a mission to make electronic items utilitarian for people who value quality, Quantum Hi-Tech has its headquarters in the national capital, with pan-India service and support outlets. To discuss its product offerings, market positioning, R&D and expansion plans, Ramesh Kumar Raja talks to Arnav Mutneja, Director, Quantum Hi-Tech, which also plans to foray into the wearable segment. Excerpts:
How’s the brand Quantum positioned itself in a hyper-competitive market like India?
Quantum has been in the consumer technology space for nearly three decades now, introducing multiple products under various segments. Therefore, we have been a witness as well as a stakeholder in the evolution of the market, which has undoubtedly become super competitive. We have always focused on the mass market where affordability plays a critical role in the buyer behaviour. We have grown incomparably in terms of units sold, if not revenue. Notably, we have also reconsidered our strategies with evolving consumer behaviour and technology. For instance, we seamlessly transitioned into a hybrid sales model while successfully making the consumers aware and thereby, enhancing brand recall value.
Quantum, of late, seems to be very active with audio product line-up, besides being an established player in computer peripherals and other digital products such as mobile chargers, data cables, power banks, etc. Can you please tell us about this move?
It is true that we have been focusing on the diversification of our audio product portfolio. For example we recently launched a premium audio range labeled SonoTrix, which comprises two Bluetooth-enabled speakers and True Wireless earbuds. The audio has over the past few months witnessed a technology-driven steady growth. The significant advancements in the TWS space in particular, was one of the key factors behind our foray into hearable segment. We are set to soon unveil an entire range in each of the personal hearable and audio categories.
“The audio has over the past few months witnessed a technology-driven steady growth. The significant advancements in the TWS space in particular, was one of the key factors behind our foray into hearable segment. We are set to soon unveil an entire range in each of the personal hearable and audio categories”
How do you ensure the quality of your products?
We thrive at Quantum on the factors of reliability and continual growth, which has over the past 30 years resulted in a sense of confidence among our products. While our products have been available in all price points, there has been no compromise on quality, which pretty much manifests our long standing presence in the ever-evolving market. Owing to the trustworthy pan-India customer base, Quantum integrated a hybrid sales model. Adequate focus has also been given on increasing awareness among consumers while reaffirming brand recall value.
How are your products, especially audio, gaining traction in the market? How has been the response so far, online as well as offline?
The response for our audio products has been very good, as we have already sold more than 50,000 products in the audio space in the first quarter of launch. We are currently scaling our supply to meet future demand.
Also Read: Audio is playing a key role in consumer lives across content types, says Dolby’s Ashim Mathur
Which are the areas from where maximum demand is coming for the Quantum products in India?
Quantum has always had a pan-India presence. What began in 1992 as an offline business now has an omni-channel presence, including the online market space. From leading ecommerce giants to consumer technology stores across metros, tier 2 as well as tier 3 cities.
After sales service remains an issue for majority of electronics companies. What is your approach to it?
After sales service has been one of our USPs as a lifestyle brand in the consumer technology space. We have more than 600 service touchpoints across India, which includes both company operated and third party service points.
We have made it sacrosanct to provide seamless service for customers with minimum lead times. Customer satisfaction has always been our top priority.
There is a parallel grey market in India thriving on the counterfeit accessories and devices. How do you deal with them and what is your advice to the people to do away with those fake products?
The battle against the parallel grey market is long drawn and requires checks and balances at multiple levels. Many counterfeit products keep cropping up in the market carrying our brand name. We do our best to protect our brand by actively taking legal action against such importers and manufacturers.
What are your outreach and investment plans for India?
Quantum has very aggressive plans to invest in India for scaling up manufacturing capabilities. We further intend to strengthen the Indian supply chain ecosystem by reducing the dependency on foreign suppliers.
Please tell us something about R&D and innovation at Quantum? Any plan to expand your product portfolio?
Thorough R&D has always been an intrinsic part of Quantum since inception and we intend to bolster it further. Our focus is on driving our R&D to develop products on a need based proposition. Therefore, while we are looking at the expansion of our audio portfolio, we would soon introduce an entire range in each of the personal hearable and audio categories. We also have a plan to foray into the wearable, home entertainment and office stationary spaces.
“Our focus is on driving our R&D to develop products on a need based proposition. Therefore, while we are looking at the expansion of our audio portfolio, we would soon introduce an entire range in each of the personal hearable and audio categories. We also have a plan to foray into the wearable, home entertainment and office stationary spaces”
The emergence of IoT has opened a new avenue of growth for many tech firms. Do you have any plan to leverage this trend?
IoT is definitely in the scheme of things, we plan to aggressively foray into this segment. We should see some IoT-enabled products roll out from the house of Quantum by the second quarter of 2022.
Also Read: Amazfit GTR 3 Pro Review: An amazing companion with loads of features
The cash accounting app for small businesses is collaborating with India’s largest indigenous app store, Indus App Bazaar to reach more users.
CashBook is aimed at helping small business owners record their income and expenses in a simple and effective way through its mobile application. The app is simple to use and helps save time and improves profits for businesses.
The app can also be used by anyone who is in the habit of maintaining their expenses. The CashBook app currently boasts over 1 million users.
The move comes at a time when more and more users are adopting digital means to use services. Seeing this digital adoption, many businesses are focusing on building and improving their mobile applications.
Also Read | Indus App Bazaar joins forces with BreachTape; provides developers with unique CDN services
According to the co-founder of CashBook, Vivek Kumar, “Small businesses across India have been upgrading to digital apps in the last few years. This trend has further accelerated in the wake of the pandemic. In that context, Indus App Bazaar has helped us reach new audiences – especially the new-to-digital audiences. Also, the fact that Indus App Bazaar offers additional context around the app ensures quality acquisitions.”
Indus App Bazaar has been helping apps to reach new audiences for the past several years. With their language localization services, which include app translation into 12 regional languages, and their user base of 200 million users, many apps like CashBook have realized the need for an app store that understands the Indian context.
The importance of alternative app distribution channels like Indus App Bazaar cannot be overstated. For starters, an alternative distribution channel helps break new ground in terms of user acquisition, especially among the new-to-digital audiences. Moreover, an alternative app store loosens the grip that dominant firms hold over the market. A new player in the market can offer respite from any restrictive policies that big tech firms impose.
Thus, app stores like Indus App Bazaar need to be nurtured and promoted to bring fairness to both developers and users.
Also Read: Boult Audio AirBass Y1 TWS earbuds with 40 hrs playtime launched at Rs 1,299
Homegrown brand Boult Audio has launched AirBass Y1 TWS earbuds equipped with Type-C fast-charging and offers a total playback of up to 40 hours. The AirBass Y1 is equipped with the latest Bluetooth V5.1, ensuring the fastest pairing and strong signals over a longer operation range from the source.
The Boult Audio AirBass Y1 is armed with fast charging and offers a total of 100 minutes playback time in just 10 minutes of charge without compromising on performance. The AirBass Y1 is now available for an attractive price of just Rs 1,299 on Flipkart.
It features the latest in Bluetooth technology and comprises high-fidelity drivers for delivering best in the segment sound quality. The device is IPX5 water resistant and it can comfortably be used outdoors or in the gym. These earbuds can be used separately after successful pairing. Not only listening to both earbuds in stereo mode, but also it can be used as monopods to enjoy the music and take calls.
The AirBass Y1 has a uniquely built design that’s crafted for high ergonomics. It features an angled bud with extra-soft silicone tips for added comfort during long use. The body is built with a high-quality and premium-finish ABS shell which also protects it from water and sweat. So don’t let the rain or sweat keep you away from your outdoor activities.
The earbuds are also touch-sensitive so you can conveniently use your fingertips to adjust the volume, change tracks, attend calls or command your voice assistant. The Boult Audio AirBass Y1 features the latest in Bluetooth technology V5.1 that not only helps in faster pairing and stable connectivity over longer distances but also saves on power.
Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen smart display launched in India
Google announced the launch of the Nest Hub 2nd gen in India. The tech giant, in a statement, said that the new Nest Hub’s speaker is based on the same audio technology as Nest Audio. However, the new device has 50 percent more bass than the original Nest Hub, the firm said. The Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) is priced at Rs 7,999. The latest smart display of Google is available to purchase from Flipkart, Reliance Digital, and Tata Cliq.
Tecno Pop 5 LTE launched in India
Tecno has come up with its latest product offering, POP 5 LTE, under its POP-series portfolio. The smartphone comes with special launch price of Rs 6,299. Boasting of segment first features such as 6.52-inch HD+ dot-notch display, 5,000mAh battery, 8MP AI dual rear camera, the POP 5 LTE is powered by HiOS 7.6 based on Android 11 Go. In addition, the smartphone packs in various smart features such as IPX2 splash resistant, enhanced 14 regional language support, 120 Hz sampling rate and face unlock — all this in a premium design and vibrant colors. The phone features 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage, which can further be expanded up to 256GB via a dedicated SD card slot.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 2021 launched in India
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 2021 has officially been unveiled in India. It was launched internationally in December 2021. The Tab A8 has a 10.5-inch LCD and is powered by a Unisoc Tiger T618 with an octa-core CPU. It comes with three memory options – 3 + 32GB, 4 + 64GB, 4 + 128GB. The tab sports an 8MP camera on the back and a 5MP front-facing one for video calls. The Galaxy Tab A8 will cost you INR 17,999. There are some rebates, equal to INR 2,000, and Samsung will also throw in a book cover accessory worth INR 999.
Oppo A36 with Snapdragon 680 announced
Oppo has recently unveiled one of the most affordable Oppo A36 handsets in China. The new smartphone’s display is a 6.56-inch LCD screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sample rate. It comes with a Snapdragon 680 chipset and a 5,000mAh battery. The device carries a 13MP sensor and a 2MP portrait helper. It has a punch hole in the upper left corner for the 8MP selfie camera. The phone is up for pre-order in Black and Blue and is priced at USD 250.
Also Read: Rooter raises $25 Million in Series A round led by Lightbox, March Gaming, Duane Park
Game streaming and e-sports platform Rooter today announced it has raised $25 million (INR 185 crore) in a Series A funding round led by Lightbox, March Gaming, and Duane Park Ventures. 9Unicorns, ADvantage, Capital-A, and Goal Ventures also participated in the round along with existing investors, including IeAD Sports & Health Tech Partners.
Founded by Piyush Kumar and Dipesh Agarwal, Rooter has emerged as the largest player in the Indian gaming category with 8.5 million monthly active users and over 30 million downloads, making it the no. 1 app in the ‘Sports’ category on Google Playstore since October 2020. The company extensively covers chart-topping games, including BGMI, Free Fire, Valorant, and Call of Duty, among others, through its streamers and e-sports tournaments. Around 1 million unique users create gaming content on the Rooter platform every month, and the company is aiming to emerge as the dominant player in India’s creator economy by building a base of the next 500,000 professional game streamers through its gaming and e-sports platform.
According to a report issued by RedSeer and Lumikai, India is expected to be home to 700 million gamers by 2025.
“Rooter has been growing at a blistering pace over the last 18 months in tandem with the ballooning mobile gaming market in India, and this fresh infusion of funds by such marquee domestic and international investors only validates our work,” said Piyush Kumar, Founder, and CEO of Rooter. “Our community of streamers has been witnessing amazing engagement on our platform, which has allowed us to increase our revenues in the last six months. Dipesh and I look forward to working with our supporters to make Rooter the largest gaming company in the country within the next two years.”
Also Read | Gaming is going to give birth to multiple careers: Rooter CEO
Sid Talwar, Partner at Lightbox said, “Gaming is the future of social media for the next generation. 92% of Gen Z and millennials play games. And these ‘gamers’ are more engaged, more invested, and far more eager to contribute to gaming platforms than any traditional social media user today. Rooter is working to enhance the online experience of this community. And we’re excited to partner with them on this journey.”
“Rooter’s differentiated streaming platform and unique value proposition to users have put it at the forefront of the gaming industry in India,” said Gregory Milken, Managing Partner at March Gaming. “The availability of cheap, fast, and reliable mobile data in India has resulted in a massive explosion of streaming services and digital content, and we believe Rooter is best-positioned to capture this expanding market as the clear platform of choice for game streaming. We are thrilled to make our first investment in India and look forward to partnering with Piyush and his team to both fuels the company’s next phase of growth and strengthen its position as India’s largest streaming platform for gaming and e-sports.”
Salil Bhargava, Director at Duane Park said, “We have closely followed the gaming business in India for several years. We believe the game streaming business in India will see explosive growth. Over the last 18 months, Piyush and the team have proved their ability to emerge as the platform of choice in this space. We are delighted to partner with Rooter on this journey to shape the future of the Indian game streaming market.”
Through this funding round, the company also facilitated the secondary sale for a few of its shareholders and an exit route for a few employees through ESOP buyback. Rooter is looking to almost double its team size by hiring across divisions to add to its 55-member team based in New Delhi.
A&W Capital, a UK-based boutique investment bank, was the exclusive financial advisor and Delhi-based Ahlawat and Associates was Rooter’s legal counsel on this deal.
Also Read: Smartphone makers preferred multiple chipset portfolio in 2021: Techarc
MediaTek led with 81 smartphone models launched on their chipset against Qualcomm which saw 51 launches in India. Realme, Samsung and Motorola had three chipset suppliers for the smartphones launched in 2021, as per the report
There’s an increasing preference of handset makers towards opting for multiple chipset suppliers for their smartphone portfolio, revealed an analysis by market research firm Techarc, which is based on the smartphone model launches in 2021.
“Increasingly, smartphone makers are diversifying the risks by going with multiple chip makers. Among key smartphone makers, Apple, Xiaomi, Tecno, Infinix, LG, Asus and iQoo remained with single chipset supplier in 2021,” said Manish Rawat, Senior Analyst at Techarc.
The chipset landscape is changing fast as we see OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) now becoming a competition to the fabless chipset makers. “Though in 2021 the trend just started to emerge with no major impact on the market, in 2022 and beyond OEMs are likely to strengthen their own chipset roadmaps reducing dependability on the SoC makers,” noted Rawat.
“Though in 2021 the trend just started to emerge with no major impact on the market, in 2022 and beyond OEMs are likely to strengthen their own chipset roadmaps reducing dependability on the SoC makers”
– Manish Rawat, Senior Analyst, Techarc
“While this gives OEMs better control on creating differentiation right at the core of the product, the opportunity for chipset makers especially in premium and flagship products is likely to squeeze as these OEMs are introducing them with proprietary chipsets,” he added.
After Apple, Samsung and Huawei, Google and Oppo have already unveiled their chipsets. Vivo also announced its first ISP (Image Signal Processor) in 2021. Among the fabless chipset makers, this is likely to have a bigger impact on Qualcomm as its chipsets are used by leading OEMs for their premium and flagship models. At the same time, MediaTek would also see some impact on its Dimensity family which has started penetrating in the premium category of smartphones, as per the report.
Though in terms of overall launches, MediaTek led for the year, 5G smartphone launches were done by the OEMs using a Qualcomm chipset.
However, as 5G smartphone launches are taking place at multiple tiers of the market, in 2022 it will be a close competition between Qualcomm and MediaTek to steal the maximum 5G smartphone deals.
Also Read:The 5G Craze: How Consumers Are Looking For A Smartphone Beyond Cameras
Key trends
Realme led the industry with 23 smartphone model launches in 2021, followed by Samsung and Vivo with 20 and 13 launches respectively. Transsion-owned Tecno and Infinix made aggressive pitch with 11 and 9 launches for the year with Tecno emerging in top 5 smartphone makers by launches for the period.
OnePlus which had been with Qualcomm since beginning, launched its first smartphone on MediaTek chipset joining other key OEMs with multiple chipset supplier trend.
In 5G smartphone portfolio as well, Realme led with 10 launches followed by Samsung with 8 launches. Vivo and Oppo had 7 launches each sharing the third place.
In 5G portfolio Xiaomi, iQoo and Asus stayed with Qualcomm as the single chipset supplier and Poco, Redmi and Lava opted MediaTek for their 5G launches.
Though MediaTek has started seeing launches in the premium (Rs 25,000 to 50,000) segment, the Luxe (Rs 50,000 and above) segment is still Qualcomm’s stronghold.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 was chosen by OEMs for 13 smartphone model launches making it the most preferred 5G chipset while within MediaTek Dimensity 800U saw maximum of 6 smartphone launches.
Smartphone OEMs chose 22 different chipsets of MediaTek to launch their smartphones in 2021 against 17 chipsets of Qualcomm used to launch smartphones during the year.
In terms of 5G chipsets, 7 chipsets each of MediaTek and Qualcomm were used for smartphone launches.
In luxe segment (Rs 50,000 and above), Qualcomm, Apple and Samsung chipsets were used for launching smartphone models. As Google Pixel 6 wasn’t launched in India, we did not see its chipset foraying the segment in India.
In the premium segment (Rs 25,000-50,000), Qualcomm saw 19 smartphones launched on various Snapdragon chipsets against 13 models launched in MediaTek chipsets in the segment.
In the mid segment (Rs 12,000-25,000), 44 smartphones were launched on a MediaTek SoC against 20 smartphones which used a Qualcomm chipset.
Out of 52 smartphone models launched in the basic segment (Rs 6,000-12,000) 27 were launched on a MediaTek chipset.
Entry level chipset provider Unisoc saw 2 out of 6 smartphones launched in the entry segment (up to Rs 6,000) for 2021.
Also Read: “India is a key focus region for MediaTek”
