Mobility Monthly Magazine
May 2019
Issue 5
Volume 16
20
Pages 48
www.mobilityindia.com
beyond technology, beyond lifestyle
Interview
Page 16
Mr. Tejinder Singh, Head-Product (Feature Phone), Lava International Limited
Featured
Page 20
Mr. Viren Lohana, Director, Pacific Citiphone
future tech 42
Mr. Sneh Vaswani, Co-founder and CEO, Emotix
CONTENTS
4
06 08 12
Editorial News Launchpad Interview
16
Despite having intense competition LAVA has emerged as one of the most preferred feature phone brand in India with a current market share of 13%.
Review
18 FOUNDER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR CHIEF EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR
: SWAPAN ROY
ASST. EDITOR
: E. J. JAWAHARDATHAM
: MANOJ JHA : SHAMPA
PRODUCT HEAD
: SANDEEP SARKAR
FINANCE
: SANDEEP KR. TANTI
BUSINESS HEAD
: TRIDIP DEY
MARKETING
: SUJIT GOSWAMI
SALES
: PRATAP, SANTU, RAJKUMAR
MANAGER IT & WEB
: PAWAN KUMAR
SR. CREATIVE & DESIGN
: MEERA
CIRCULATION MANAGER
: P BISWAS
PRODUCTION ASST.
: ASHISH GHOSH
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Out Of Every 10 Individuals are 40-41 7Vulnerable to Data Breach & Privacy Risk while Disposing off their Devices: Stellar Study Google report reveals what Indians searched online
Future Tech
42
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
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MOBILITY MAY 2019
Miko is India’s first companion robot for Kids
Product Feature Pixel 3A An affordable phone by Google
App
marketing@mobilityindia.com Info
Launches New Headphone, Car Charger, Powerbank at Sales Meet
Report
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).
5G and what it means for cybersecurity
Event
dia) Email
Home and commercial spaces has led to the growth of Bluetooth enabled speakers and sound bars.
5G
: RoyMediative, Royal Communication, Shree Complex, Room No. 7, Louchapada Road, Opp. SBI Bank, Berhampur - 760001 (Orissa) (In-
Contact
Mr. Viren Lohana, Director, Pacific Citiphone
Special Story
Redg.Off.: 38-B / 56 Block, C. R. Park, New Delhi-110019 (India). Branch Office: Mumbai: E-mail: roy@mobilityindia.com
INFINIX Smart 3 Plus : Hot for first time buyer
46
Singapore-based BIGO Technology Announces Threeyear Investment Plan in India
6
EDITORIAL
edItOr’S deSK
Home and Commercial Spaces Lead Bluetooth-Enabled Speakers and Sound Bars Growth dear readers, Greetings from Mobility Magazine !! the global Bluetooth speaker market was valued at uSd 4.62 billion in 2018, and is expected to reach uSd 34.56 billion by 2024, at a caGr of 40.38%, over the forecast period (2019-2024). the increasing need for eliminating more than one product in the home and commercial spaces has led to the growth of Bluetooth-enabled speakers and sound bars. we at Mobility India have seen the Bluetooth speaker market growing drastically in India in recent years. More and more players have entered to cut a share for themselves in this segment. Many brands are also now manufacturing speakers in India in recent times after seeing a huge demand in the market.
editor’s choice
Swapan roy roymobility@gmail.com
Realme C2 The stylish smartphone is equipped with a 6.1” Dewdrop Full Screen that gives users more immersive experience while watching videos or playing games. Corning glass 3 enhances the screen toughness on the HD+ screen. The Diamond-cut design with 3-layer of paintings and pearl shining particles restores the changing effect from nature, like sky, starry night or waving water and is smudge free.
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MOBILITY MAY 2019
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8
NEWS
RNRS Informatics Pvt Ltd (Lucknow) joins hand with eGifts4all for Customer Delight Solutions
We are happy to announce our new strategic alliance partner M/s rnrS Informatics Pvt Ltd, from Lucknow. They have joined hands with us with an aim to delight their customers 100% with eGifts4all redemption voucher (No condition applied). The customers get the opportunity to redeem branded products from the website (www. egifts4all.com) after shopping from retail. They tend to be loyal towards the seller when they get some exciting offers. 70% of the customers buying experience depend on what has been offered to them. They share this experience with their family/friends, which helps in spreading a word. Mr. Saurabh agarwal (director), says that he is very excited to start this new concept in UP market, as he is always open for new ideas. Currently associated with brands like: CARVAAN, iBall, Astrum. Distribution in parts for FMCG. He aims to reach for 500 connect in 6 months with this customer delight and retention program. Their focussed domains would be - Telecom, IT, Automobile, F&B, Hotels, Travel, Insurance. According to Mr. Manoj Seal (director-Strategic alliance), eGifts4all has the ability to attract more customers and make them feel delighted by shopping with our partners. Customers get very happy when they get something more than what they anticipated, so it’s very easy to WOW a customer, if you offer them with some special surprise.
Xiaomi opens its 1000th Mi Store and Announces Mi Studios in India Xiaomi announced its 1000th Mi Store in India. With the new Mi Store located in Rewari, Haryana, Mi Stores symbolize the brand’s immense progress in developing effective innovative retail measures across 300+ cities and 19 states, providing enhanced consumer brand experience to its customers across India. With the 1000 Mi Stores, Xiaomi India has been able to generate employment for over 2000 people.
Huawei DoublesDown on Canadian Investment & announces Partnership with Three Major Commitments
In addition to the Mi Store launch, Xiaomi India also announced the launch of Mi Studios, its latest addition
Huawei Canada announced three new commitments to bring the next generation 5G mobile network to Canada and support our economy and communities in which we work. The announcements included: • By 2020, Huawei Canada will provide Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training to over 1,000 Canadians. This new
to its new retail concept. Serving as the added urban extension of the popular Mi Homes, Mi Studios aim to offer premium brand experience to its Mi Fans and consumers in 50 cities spanning across prime consumer markets in India in an optimized space. Located currently in Bangalore and Mumbai, with an average size of 400-600 sq.ft, the new Mi Studios are an optimized version of Mi Homes replicating the same Mi Home retail design and displaying modern minimalist interiors. Xiaomi is working towards 200 Mi Studios by the end of 2019.
commitment will be under the Huawei Authorized Learning Partner (HALP) program and other similar initiatives implemented across Canada. • By late 2019, Huawei Canada will release its first 5G-ready smartphone for the Canadian market. • Beginning immediately, a donation of $100,000 will be put towards Ottawa flood relief in partnership with United Way Ottawa. Huawei employees in Ottawa also have the option of taking paid days off in order to volunteer for flood relief and cleanup efforts.
MOBILITY MAY 2019
Hughes and Airtel to combine their India VSAT operations
Bharti Airtel Limited one of the world’s leading integrated providers of telecommunication services, and Hughes Communications India Ltd. (HCIL), a subsidiary of Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services, announced an agreement to combine their VSAT operations in India. The transaction is subject to approvals by relevant authorities.As per the agreement, Hughes will have majority ownership in the combined entity and Airtel will have a significant shareholding.The combined entity will
benefit from enhanced scale, improved operational efficiencies and wider market reach. The combined entity will be well positioned to leverage the demand for secure connectivity in a rapidly growing digital economy. The combined entity will be able to introduce new VSAT and related technologies to deliver a wide range of quality products and service. The combined entity will continue to serve existing Hughes and Airtel customers. Announcing the partnership, Partho Banerjee, President and Managing Director, Hughes Communications India Ltd said, “We are very excited about the synergies that this partnership will bring to the Indian ecosystem.
10
NEWS
Realme opens its first offline exclusive kiosk with over 1 thousand fans Realme, the No. 1 quality and emerging smartphone brand in India, unveiled its first exclusive kiosk at their pop-up sale on April 27 in Pacific Mall, Subhash Nagar,
New Delhi. The kiosk enables easy access to customers to experience and purchase realme offerings. 1003 realme fans gathered to celebrate realme’s milestone inauguration. Over 1 thousand fans witnessed one of the biggest first-sale events in the country and purchased 800 realme 3 Pro units. Sharing his thoughts Madhav Sheth, Chief Executive Officer, realme India, said, “Our fans are at the core of every decision we take- be it the products, features or pricing and we are excited to launch our first Kiosk today. I’m grateful for the passion and love we received today, as some of our fans traveled from different states and even skipped exams to join us. We will expand more in the offline segment to give more ‘touch and feel’ experience of the products to our customers.”
OPPO Named Official Smartphone Partner of The Championships, Wimbledon OPPO is delighted to announce that, through partnership with the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC),
it has become the first Official Smartphone Partner and first-ever Asian partner of The Championships, Wimbledon. OPPO, a leading global smart device brand, has a strong pedigree of partnerships in sport as the official mobile phone partner to FC Barcelona and the International Cricket Council (ICC), and this exciting new partnership represents the brand’s first move into tennis. The fiveyear agreement, which begins for The Championships 2019, demonstrates the mutual opportunity presented when two brands come together to grow their presence in key developing markets. OPPO will use the strength of the Wimbledon brand to grow its presence across the UK and Europe, and demonstrates the determination of a long-term investment in the market.
Soundcore by Anker announces ‘Trip to Russia and ‘Gold Coin’ scheme for its Distributors and Dealers Soundcore, a global leader in
technology, announces Double Bonanza, exclusive to its Distributors and Channel partners with – ‘Trip to Russia and Gold Coin scheme’. Keeping the spirits high, the reward opportunity is an extended heartfelt gratitude to all the partners for their loyalty and confidence for Soundcore. Under the scheme, the Partners can win a Trip to Russia packed with tranquil sightseeing of famous streets and monuments, along with exploring the Historic cities of Russia or WIN assured Gold Coins, on the targeted sell out of Soundcore Products.The scheme begins from May 1st 2019 and will be valid till July end. The shortlisted winners will be announced on August 2019.
Route Mobile bags the fastest growing Indian Technology and Telecom company award in UK Route Mobile, a Tier 1 Cloud Communications Platform service provider, is proud to announce its recognition as a winner at the highly coveted India meets Britain Tracker 2019, for the fastest growing Indian Technology and Telecom company in the UK. The report reveals the names of the Indian companies that remain integral to the long-term growth of the UK economy. The ‘India Meets Britain Tracker 2019’, released annually by professional services major Grant Thornton in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), has identified the fastest-growing Indian companies in Britain to conclude that Indian investment remains integral to post-Brexit growth in the UK. Route Mobile wins this award 2nd consecutive time. Last year, The India Tracker identified approximately 800 Indian companies operating in the UK, with combined revenues of £46.4 billion and Route Mobile was one of them.
MOBILITY MAY 2019
12
LAUNCHPAD
Pebble introduces fashionable BassX Extreme Bluetooth Speaker
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ebble, one of the fastest growing Lifestyle Accessories Brand, announces aggressive route to Speaker Market with BassX series, the first being, ‘BassX Extreme’ Bluetooth Speaker. The fashionably designed speaker promises Good Looks with Good sound that produces the most earth-shaking Bass. Adhering to the modern design trends, Pebble BassX is practically designed like a handy bag, with an extremely durable IPX4 waterproof casing (Water resistant). Whether you’re listening to tunes indoors or outdoors, entertainment remains unadulterated even on a rainy day or at poolside party. Pebble BassX itself has a rubbery material surrounding the speaker enclosure, along with a nice grip handle at the top for easy portability. The super-portable, speaker can easily be stashed in a purse, backpack or suitcase, to get every party started.
Jabra Launches Evolve Toreto Launches 65e Wireless Earbuds “Blare Pro”- Wireless Bluetooth Headsets
T
he earbuds come with a Jabra Link 370 USB Bluetooth adapter, enabling simultaneous connectivity to your laptop or PC and your smartphone. With a wireless range of 30m for PC and 10m for mobile, users can be sure they will never miss an important call, wherever they are or whatever they are doing. If you want to make it clear that you do not want to be interrupted, switch on the built-in busylight that serves as a ‘do not disturb’ sign, signalling to those around you that you’re not to be disturbed. Jabra Evolve 65e achieves Skype for Business and UC-certification thanks to its fourmicrophone system. With two in the microphone box capturing voice, and one in each earbud that listens to ambient noise around the user, the device uses DSP algorithms to find the optimum voice-to-noise ratio for perfect clarity for the mobile-first professional. MOBILITY MAY 2019
T
hese Bluetooth enabled headsets formulate the perfect combination of style and technology; promise to provide the best musical experience due to its remarkable surround sound. Blare Pro lets you enjoy 7 hours of uninterrupted music, while at work, commuting or even while a sweaty workout. Furthermore, it even lets you pair two mobile phones at once and lets you browse through Google on your device directly via an inbuilt microphone in the headsets. The voice button further helps you make calls as well; name the person you want to talk to and your call will be connected.
UBON Launches Pro Bass Series Wireless Speaker ‘SP-45’
UBON, a homegrown mobile accessories brand has recently unveiled its Pro Bass Series of wireless speaker. The latest entrant in the segment is the “SP-45” model that embarks funky & attractive designs combined with great sound output. UBON’s PRO Bass Series is for those audiophiles who just cannot afford to compromise on the sound quality of their party glimmers. The speaker offers a continuous power backup of upto 8 hours and supports Radio, TF Card, USB, AUX and Bluetooth as well. UBON’s SP-45 speaker comes with a built in microphone to receive calls & incorporates Li-on battery. In addition to this, the speaker comes with a external phone holder placed right at the top of the speaker that allows one to place the phone on the speaker without any worry.
14
LAUNCHPAD
Detel launched PreLoved Device
Digitek Launches Nylon Sound One launches Braided Cables for X70 Sports Bluetooth Smartphones Magnetic Earphones with Mic
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etel, the world’s most economical feature phone and TV brand announced that it forays into a new business vertical of refurbished device with an e-commerce platform – ‘www. preloveddevice.com’ with the mission of creating a new experience of buying a refurbished device for its customer. The experience that starts right from the excitement of opening the box of a new device. Its chic and cool packaging in red and white simply catches your attention. You feel even mesmerized after holding a smartphone in your hand which gives you look and feel of as good as new smartphone. PreLoved Device ensures your confidence with the glance of sophisticatedly placed quality components and accessories inside the box. All the accessories are nicely packed. Last but not the least after having procured the warranty of a minimum of 6 months to 1 year with most customer friendly after sale services, PreLoved Device makes you witness the new experience of buying a refurbished device with never like before satisfaction and happiness.
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igitek, one of the leading brands in the photographic & smartphone accessories industry, is launching its latest collection of nylon braided cables for smart phones with high speed charging facility and contemporary design. The long length cable with metallic body enables a safe charging facility, these cables have higher tangible feature which can easily be carried out while travelling without any damage, making it a user friendly option. Digitek aims to enrich the lives of its customers’ personal lives with innovation, technology, advancements and services of the highest quality. The company is rolling out 3 types of nylon cables which come with its own unique specifications each.
ound One has launched X70 sports Bluetooth Magnetic Earphones with MIC specially designed to withstand those rigorous sports training sessions. With the X70 sports, Sound One brings music to your daily routine in a seamless manner, with top notch sound quality and a user experience like none other. Sound One X70 Sports Wireless earphones comes with an amazing commixture of style with performance that’ll make your listening experience personal & for real. Sound One X70 sports wireless earphones are brilliantly engineered with superb bass with clear mids and highs, superior audio performance and extremely accurate listening experience for 8 hours. The Advanced Bluetooth V5.0 allows you to seamlessly connect up to 10 M (33 FEET). One can Play, pause or change the volume all from the earphones itself with reliable multi-button inline controls. It also allows you to answer or hang up the phone calls.
Xiaomi launches Redmi Y3 with 32MP selfie camera and Snapdragon 632-powered Redmi 7
X
iaomi, India’s number one smartphone brand, announced the 32MP selfie camera-equipped Redmi Y3 alongside Redmi 7, which brings the Kryo architecture to the Redmi series for the first time ever. Introduced with the Redmi Note 7 series, Aura Design takes new shape to form Redmi Y3 and Redmi 7. While Redmi Y3 features micro lines on the rear with a prism-like effect, Redmi 7’s smoke-inspired colours are sure to shake the market. Both phones feature Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front, with reinforced corners and P2i nano-coating to give the devices a degree of resistance against splashes. With the Redmi Y1 and Y2 series already having garnered over 7 million users, Redmi Y3 makes for a great upgrade for the selfie focused users.
MOBILITY MAY 2019
16
INTERVIEW
“despite intense competition, Lava has emerged as one of the most preferred feature phone brands in India with a market share of 13%.” MobilityIndia recently interacted with Mr. tejinder Singh, who is now heading Lava’s feature phone segment and discussed various aspects of its growth and sustainability. Good to see Lava with great numbers in the feature phone segment market, your comment on it. India has always been a primary market for Lava in terms of feature phones and we have always maintained an extremely strong position in the Feature Phone segment. It is our focus, strong r&d capability in India, commitment to empower Indian customers and most importantly perseverance which have helped us to achieve this. Over the last 10 years, we have been building capabilities within India in product design & manufacturing - in order to make valuable technologies accessible and provide reliable products to our customers. we are the only brand to have complete end-to-end control on product value chain within India complemented by our robust distribution network and speedy customer service. all these essentials have encouraged us to innovate further to provide the best quality products to our customers. despite having intense competition Lava has emerged as one of the most preferred feature phone brand in India with a Mr. tejinder Singh, Head-Product (Feature Phone), current market share of 13%. Going forward, we will continue to grow and reach the top of the table in this segment. Our confidence in our quality is reflected in Lava International Limited our unique one year replacement promise. Q. It seems like Lava is the only Indian brand making to keep afloat, when we have seen unprecedented growth by chinese brands. In which price segment now Lava wants to focus in smartphone? We already have a very strong presence in the Sub $200 price smart phone segment and that is our focus for the coming months. We know that we have several advantages over our competition. Along with our strong products, our single-layer distribution model is also quite unique in this industry and it is one of our biggest strengths. This is a tangible model compared to the multiple layered distribution model adopted by others. We also have a large retail footprint with full control on inventory. Also, in the e-commerce space, we have several strategic tie-ups. Our exponential growth is the work of a carefully planned strategy, and that’s why despite immense competition, we have clocked good growth by doubling our market share in a year. For us, the biggest value a company is able to create is excellence and this is our focus. We are exploring strategic partnerships with operators also which will be additional advantage for us Q. as India has still 400 million feature phone users, will Lava go aggressive in this market? A. Absolutely. We have a strong foothold in the feature phone segment and we continue to grow at a rapid pace. We are the innovation leader within the segment and we provide unique experience to our customers. We just launched our new feature phone- Lava A7 Wave, which is the first ever feature phone to have a dual tone back cover. Our bouquet of products in this segment, cater to a huge customer base, providing unique and exceptional feature according to their needs. Our feature phone are extremely durable, long lasting along with their beautiful looks to add value to this segment. This is a huge segment for us and we will continue to focus on it in the coming years. Q. what will be the positioning strategy for Lava and XOLO? A. In today’s competitive mobile handset industry, the MOBILITY MAY 2019
biggest advantage that we have as an Indian brand is that we understand the Indian consumers very well. We work on our brand strengths which are product and service quality, reliability and right consumer experience – in terms of both hardware & software. We make valuable technology available and accessible to our consumers along with novelty in product designing through both our brands Lava & Xolo. Q. recently we have seen lots of distributors and retailers lost faith with mobile brands due to heavy dues, non cooperation of brands and close of operations. what will be your message to them? A. For us, all are partners in this business are valuable. In addition to our preparation in products, we built a unique capability in sales too, which is backed by a technology platform. It offers unique solution to the biggest problem and cost of offline retail, “Inventory obsolescence”. More than 1,65,000 retailers, their entire business and Lava’s inventory is online on this platform. Lava was declared most trustworthy brand amongst retailers in 2018 followed by Samsung and Vivo-CMR retail sentiment index 2018. Q In the coming years what can we expect from Lava as an Indian brand? A. We already have a strong foothold in India in the sub$100 segment. We see a huge potential in the sub-$200 price segment .This segment today stands at $113 billion with a CAGR of 15% over the last five years and Lava can emerge as Global leader in this segment. To work towards this milestone, we are consistently increasing our vendor and supply chain base from India, thus bringing efficiency and the advantage of Indian cost. Today, about 25% parts of our low-end phones are procured within India which has a good cost advantage. We have also started our operations in 26 other countries in the last 3 years and continue to grow rapidly in these markets too. We have become No. 1 in Egypt in less than 6K segment in a short span of time.
18
REVIEW
INFINIX Smart 3 Plus HOT for first time buyers Infinix a smartphone brand from TRANSSION Holdings, has recently launched its latest device, ’Smart 3 Plus’ on Flipkart. The device looks a good proposition in the sub 7k segment. Smart 3 Plus is the first smartphone in its price category to introduce 13MP+2MP Triple Rear Camera with a dedicated Low Light Sensor and a Dual LED Flash. The Camera is equipped with an advanced AI feature, which auto detects 8 different scene modes and auto adjusts light, brightness and contrast ratio to ensure that you get the best image output. The newly launched smartphone is powered by the latest Android Pie 9.0 operating system and will be available exclusively in colors of Midnight Black and Sapphire Cyan. Features: Smart 3 Plus will have a 6.21” HD+ Drop Notch display and 88% screen to body ratio which gives edge to edge access of the smartphone display. The display also offers a brightness of 500 nits, considered an extremely good luminance rating. To enhance the phone’s sleek look and premium design, it is fitted with 2.5D curved glass on top and a stylish glass design at the back. Smart 3 Plus comes with 3500mAh battery along with AI Smart power saving which gives a full day power back-up to the device. Despite its big battery, the smartphone is just 7.8mm thin and weighs only 148gm. It also comes with Superfast fingerprint sensor and Face Unlock feature for enhanced security. Selfie Camera: Additionally, the phone also has an 8MP front selfie-camera with AI-driven beauty mode for that ‘perfect’ selfie. A cutting-edge AI framework boosts the camera capabilities of the phone, enabling Auto Scene detection from 8 different modes to adjust the image accordingly. The rear camera is also equipped with a customizable Bokeh Mode for users to control the background blur effect. Additionally, both the cameras come with a pre-embedded AR sticker panel with 15 designs to add fun and quirkiness while clicking or sharing pictures with friends. OS: The phone offers a smooth and faster software experience with XOS 5.0 Cheetah layer that boosts the latest Android Pie 9.0 OS’s operational capabilities and offers an optimized
MOBILITY MAY 2019
User Interface. For gaming enthusiasts, the phone has a ‘Game Boost feature that allows the entire CPU resources to be dedicated towards a particular game for a seamless experience. With Infinix, users can also multi-task easily by having 2 apps run simultaneously using multiwindow functionality. Its Smart photo cleaner tool, auto detects duplicate, blurry and dark pictures to delete them. Essentially, the XOS 5.0 layer improves the Android Pie 9.0 OS experience substantially to make it more effortless and intuitive. Verdict: Priced at INR 6999/-, Smart 3 Plus offers the best deal for buyers, brings aspirational value to the budget smartphone segment, wih Triple Rear Camera with low light sensor and AI capabilities also power of Android Pie 9.0 with custom UI XOS 5.0 makes its good value for money proposition.
20
DISTRIBUTION
As Distributor Pacific Citifone Maintains Timely Deliveries, Good After-SalesService Policies and Transparent Accounting Practices Mr. viren Lohana,
Director, Pacific Citiphone Deals Pvt. Ltd.
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acific Citifone Deals Pvt Ltd is a Mumbai-based Distributor of Xiaomi Mi brand mobile phones. They have a branch office in Ahmedabad, besides their Head Office in Mumbai. The company is managed by a group of highly qualified and experienced professionals. Pacific Citifone has its own transportation facility to deliver to key locations in all major cities in India through a wellestablished dealer network. The company has its own wellequipped warehouse to stock and supply goods on time. Viren Lohana, Director of Pacific Citiphone, comments, “Currently we are distributing the mobile phones of Mi brand, which is a powerful brand in the 5k to 15k segment. The latest trend in the mobiles market is the demand for smartphones in the range of Rs 5000 to 15000 is very high and it is growing rapidly. This has become a mass market segment and today most smartphone brands are competing in this segment and the competition is expected to increase further in the coming years. Today, brands are offering superior features at affordable prices in this segment. The demand for mobile accessories is also growing correspondingly with the growth and sales of smartphones. Our focus for the coming year is to increase our penetration further in the market and offer best products to the customers at affordable prices.” To stay in the market, face competition and make their own space, each company maintains its own Unique Selling Propositions (USPs). Talking about their USPs and the challenges in the market, Viren Lohana comments, “We have been in the distribution trade for the last 23 years and our core strengths are good penetration into the market backed by strong relations with partners, good distribution infrastructure and well-managed finances. The major challenges at present are shrinking margins
MOBILITY MAY 2019
due to increasing competition and then the increasing infrastructure costs. With many brands competing with one another, service has become very important factor for the brands and distributors to survive and grow. We keep special focus on giving top class service to the end users. To add strength to our operations, we try to ensure that our deliveries are made promptly and we maintain transparent accounting practices through our dedicated accounting team. We have the right kind of infrastructure to keep our operations up to the mark. The smartphone industry is currently changing rapidly and price wars have become intense as every brand wants to offer something new at better (lower) price to customers.” During the last few years, online distribution has emerged as a big challenge to the offline partners. Commenting on the offline vs online competition, Viren Lohana, states, “The online market places have been surely affecting the offline trade, but after the new regime of rules have been imposed by the government, the offline sales are improving and now the customers have started coming back to the offline.” Regarding their business growth and GST, Viren Lohana reveals, “Pacific Citifone has been growing at an annual rate of 50% from the last 3 years and we are aiming to maintain this rate in the coming years. GST has not affected our trade much in terms of business volumes.” Talking about mobile associations, Viren Lohana shares, “The mobile associations are playing a great role in resolving the issues of mobile business community by negotiating with different brands, vendors and government organizations. In the coming years, we foresee more active role of mobile associations in resolving the issues of those into trade of mobile phones.”
26
SPECIAL STORY
Home and commercial spaces has led to the growth of Bluetooth enabled speakers and sound bars
The global Bluetooth speaker market was valued at USD 4.62 billion in 2018, and is expected to reach USD 34.56 billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 40.38%, over the forecast period (2019 - 2024). The increasing need for eliminating more than one product in the home and commercial spaces has led to the growth of Bluetooth enabled speakers and sound bars. We at Mobility India have seen this market grown drastically in India also, in the recent years more and more players have entered this category and looking it as a great opportunity to have a share in this segment. Many brands are also now manufacturing speakers in India and in the recent times they have witnessed huge demands from the market.
Global and Indian market overview: Denave, a global sales tech organisation focused on driving revenue growth for its customers, conducted a survey on the convergence of Artificial Intelligence and electronics in the Smart speaker category titled “Smart Speakers - India Market Analysis”. The survey conducted across 18 states, 36 cities, 400+ stores and 20,000+ in-store purchases between April – October 2018, is focused on understanding the smart speaker market in India by studying market sentiments, demographic impact and overall adoption trends. The report is significant in predicting future investments or revenue generation expectation for industry players in the same category. Key Findings of the report:
Impact Factors:
• Delhi, Mumbai & Bangalore together contributes to 70% of smart speaker sale in India
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Delhi tops the list at 28%. West Mumbai accounts for more than half of the smart speaker sales in Mumbai at 59.31%. In Bengaluru, 84.88% of smart speaker sale comes from East and South Bengaluru
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Large Format Stores contribute to 61% of Total Product Sale
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The age-group of 25-35 years are the top buyers of smart speakers for both men and women
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Around 75% men & 25% women buy smart speakers
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Bluetooth speakers have witnessed widespread adoption in the past few years, with these devices ac counting for a sizeable share in the audio technology category. Bluetooth speakers come in many shapes and sizes, meeting the requirements of the consumers. With the end-users utilizing the devices having different requirements there is a range of Bluetooth speakers available in the market. Rapid innovations and increasing R&D expenditure with new innovative applications have boosted the demand in the Bluetooth speakers market. The growing penetration of smartphones and increasing consumer awareness have further boosted the demand for Bluetooth speakers, worldwide. Advanced technologies such as AI-assisted devices are expected to influence the growth of the market in the coming years. Products such as Amazon Alexa and Google Echo are finding high demand from the market. Thus, many manufacturers are looking to integrate these technologies to gain consumers.
MOBILITY MAY 2019
Briefly, while the Indian Smart Speaker market may still be in a nascent stage, the growth rate and demographic dividend presents immense market opportunities. India remains a hot market for the product category as the geo-specific customisations become more pronounced and usage patterns are taken into consideration for planning the marketing and sales strategy. In due course of time, the growing consumption of smart speakers in India may become a key driver for propelling the trend of connected and interactive homes experience.
MOBILITY MAY 2019
28
SPECIAL STORY
According to a study the global Bluetooth speaker market was valued at USD 4.62 billion in 2018, and is expected to reach USD 34.56 billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 40.38%, over the forecast period (2019 - 2024). The increasing need for eliminating more than one product in the home and commercial spaces has led to the growth of Bluetooth enabled speakers and sound bars.
The bluetooth speaker market is highly fragmented, as changing consumer demands are pushing companies to innovate in the space to attract more consumers. The competition in this market has intensified over the years, with companies launching a multitude of products to attract consumers. We asked some of the key players in the Indian market to know more about the key trend and forecast about this market.
Mr. Hino Hidenori, Audio Head, Sony India The Bluetooth speaker market is booming in India. With rising disposable incomes, consumers particularly millennials are turning to portable Bluetooth-enabled speakers as a go-to product. Due to usage of devices while travelling or while on the move which can involve rugged conditions consumer are having higher affinity towards features like durability of the product, higher battery life and dust/ water-proof devices, which are aligned to the life-
style of modern users. Consumers are looking at upgrading to wireless audio solutions because they are seeking freedom from wires and need a compact product loaded with features. While Bluetooth compatibility is a key ask from consumers in case of small speakers. Those who are looking for party entertainment system like Sony GTK-PG10/ Sony MHC-V21D, demand for portability with various entertainment features. To meet this market demand Sony has specifically designed additional features like Karaoke, Party Lights and sound effects, musical instruments’ connectivity, etc. in our party speakers which enhance the over-all party experience.
• Sony GTK-PG10: • Ultimate party speaker with tweeters for clear vocals and surround sound • Unique form factor with open & close panel with splashproof top • 13 hours battery backup for non-stop party • Portable wireless speaker with convenient cup holder, perfect for outdoor parties • Interactive feature including Karaoke to enhance the party experience
Mr. Mike Chen, TCL India Country Manager Indians do prefer large speakers, with punchy bass and clear high frequencies. TV sounds are just not good enough, and 2.1 and 5.1 are very common in India. Indian still seems to buy more 2.1 and
5.1 than sound bars from what i see in the trade shows. Going forward Smart speakers with voice assistant, airplay and chrome cast, work across multiple ecosystems, multi-room and multi-channel capable speakers will have a huge scope.
TCL has also highlighted its extensive capabilities in audio technology with its newly-launched range of new-age audio solutions. These include smart TV sound solution with Bluetooth/line-in, SD card slot, USB, FM, and remote control; a Tower & Sound bar.
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SPECIAL STORY Ms. Komal Agarwal, Director – Pebble In terms of sound quality, innovation is moving towards providing higher sound output and bass at a lower cost. Since portability of the speakers has led to increase in their use for travel, the demand is moving towards more rugged speakers that are waterproof, shockproof, smaller and lighter. Smart speakers are definitely going to be huge with voice commands and google integration. Portable bluetooth devices are much more in demand than the traditional soundbars or 2.1 and 5.1. This is majorly because of the lower ASP
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and cost effectiveness of the portable devices, due to which the average Indian consumer can now comfortably purchase and own a high end speaker. Secondly ease of setup and use and multiple inbuilt playing options have also led to these being favoured more over sound bars and 2.1 speakers.
With no tangled wires, Pebble BassX speaker brings 360 surround sound experience. Delivering not just Sound, radiators for high-quality sound that’s loud enough for any party. The sound quality at 10W RMS is crystal clear and very pure, with crisp highs, detailed midranges, earth-shattering bass and plenty of depth. The bass from the speaker sounds full, rich and very deep that brings punchy beats that hits hard and tight without sounding bloated or muddying into the midrange frequencies. It also comes with a massive 2200mAh power battery that has enough power to deliver up to 5-6 hours of continuous music playtime on a single charge. The Pebble BassX speaker is equipped with in built microphone, which allows calls while connected to the speaker without any interruption.
Mr. Mandeep Arora, Managing Director, UBON With most of new home buyers Aiming for smart homes, smart AI enabled speakers are growing more in popularity, consumers now are more tech savvy & focus a lot on the physical appearance of the speaker as well, it should match their home ambience well. In office sphere now people need music as a major stress buster so speakers are covering more offices than before. We are
very optimistic in terms of the future of Bluetooth speakers. A lot needs to be done in the segment and every company is working best to its abilities to manufacture & innovate the consumer’s audio experience. We too are planning to develop AI enabled speakers that can offer battery life up to 10 hours. Bluetooth speakers might see drastic decrease in sizes and enhanced audio experience. Wi-Fi enabled speakers too can be game changer in the segment. Consumer could play any choice of music without the need of a phone/USB. Things are in the pipeline & we shall see the results in the upcoming amazing future.
Ubon SP-6525 Rugged Armed with powerful sound technology that delivers supreme quality audio with a sleek design, This UBON Wireless Bluetooth Speakers are an ideal pick for all music lovers. It comes with an effective Bluetooth feature that offers seamless connection without any need of wires. The easy to use features and voice prompt feature facilitate comfortable usage Deep bass with powerful audio output. This powerful UBON speakers comes with Bluetooth connectivity technology that removes the hassle of wires and lets you enjoy seamless connectivity. It also has a voice prompt that speaks when you are pairing other devices with this speaker. It also has an Auxiliary port that enables easy connectivity with other music devices.
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SPECIAL STORY
Mr. Rohit Sahni, Director, WK Life India is a land of family setup and the majority of the products purchased are manufactured by keeping in mind the family structure. Though commercial products are also used by corporate and recreational spaces home products still outweighs them. Use of speakers is more in houses than that of other spaces. Be it is any get together or moving out with family and friends, home products like Bluetooth sound bars are easy to carry. Beyond that, techies are emphasizing
more on improvising technology for home-based products to add little more comfort. With the infusion of Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant and now Amazon’s Alexa, the technology has evolved. Voice is now an ‘original interface’ and is preferred method of communication as we all are comfortable with it. The voice command has added more personalized responses to contextual understanding where speaking can complete your tasks quickly than typing long paragraphs. The major shift in search behaviour has been a topic of discussion. This big change is because of changing user demands. Now, we have finally moved to voice after ages of writing emails, IMs, messaging and type-to search.
Bluetooth speaker RB-M26 is a Bluetooth speaker and watch along with the alarm facility. The battery power is 4400MAh, it supports TF card, AUX cable, USB play, FM Radio, and has a life up to 6-12 hours after full charge.
Mr. Ashok Rajpal - Managing Director, Ambrane Speakers have been one of the fast adopted technologies in India. The development of wireless connectivity technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to connect to smartphones, tablets, PCs, or any other dedicated wireless controller is propelling the growth of the wireless speaker market. The introduction of Bluetooth speakers is changing the technological landscape in the global market. The growing demand for innovative audio equipment is encouraging the leading
players to launch new products in the market to attract new consumers. The adoption has been balanced for both Homes and Commercial, and shall be aggressive with the changing ecosystem. Smart speaker sales to both new and existing users should grow strongly in 2019, and also likely in 2020. For the market to continue growing beyond then, the device should have multiple applications beyond just playing music or speaking a weather forecast.
BT2900 Powered by 1200 mAh battery which provides an excellent playback time of up to 6 hours of continuous play. The Speaker comes with FM radio and TF card support so even if your devices are down your speaker won’t. Truly Handy with a strap & easy to control operations with Play/pause, call function and Mode change buttons, stay controlled in Music. With its in built microphone you can easily take calls while connected to the speaker.
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SPECIAL STORY Mr. Pranjit Hazarika, Director, Punta India Pvt Ltd. Consumer’s mindset towards home audio entertainment is undergoing a paradigm shift from the traditional more bulky audio system to the sleek, affordable, low maintenance Bluetooth speakers requiring minimum space. With rapid urbanization, increase of the size of the young working population; rising smartphone penetration and sale of other IT and electronic segments like laptop, computer devices etc; the need for a compact solution of streaming of music at home or outdoors have contributed to the
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adoption of these set of speakers. The ability of these portable devices to easily assimilate data across multiple platforms and subsequent seamless transmission makes life convenient and easier for consumers. This growth will also witnesses lot of technological advances to create newer niches amongst existing segments, newer features to attract new and existing consumer base, lot of actions at the offline and online channels to spurt the growth with an inundation of consumer offers. I personally feel that AI will primarily drive this change in the short and midterm. A device that apart from providing you high quality content of your choicest music also integrates your command to make your home a smart home. I reckon some exciting times ahead for our consumers.
PUNTA 60 W Active Sub Woofer D.J Roar • Studio-Quality Design, Sound And Performance Ideal For Multimedia Creation And Entertainment • Virtual surround sound experience. • Stream Music From Any Smartphone, Tablet Or Other Bluetooth Enabled Device • Lightweight Rubber Spring Bass polymer surround • High bass performance auditor
Mr. Manish Gupta, Vice President - Gizmore Gizmore believes With the increasing demand for the latest technology by the customers, brands are on their toes to introduce more and more models in the speaker segment with all the features and budget friendly. Multimedia speakers, over the years, have undergone immense transformation to incorporate the latest technologies and innovations. Among the various developments is the wireless technology that is gaining widespread adoption the world over.
Changing consumer preferences, lifestyles and media consumption habits are driving the acceptance of a range of new, innovative and non-traditional solutions for media playback. Growing demand for mobility, increasing proliferation of connected devices and rising penetration of Wi-Fi networks is making wireless connectivity a standard feature in urban households. While ‘audio quality’ has long been the only product feature influencing consumer purchase decisions, the future will witness the speakers’ ability to wirelessly connect with mobile devices as a key deciding factor. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled speakers are therefore growing in popularity and are boosting market prospects for the overall market.
BOOM Barrel 10M Bluetooth speaker It has got multiple connectivity options, an output of 10W and digital Bass Enhancement feature. To speak about the specifications, the BOOM Barrel 10M Bluetooth speaker has a battery of 1,800mAh that has a charging capacity of 5V. It can stay connected to the phone within the range of 10 meters. Frequency response is between 50Hz-10KHz and the device can last up to 4 hours when fully charged. However, it takes 4-5 hours in order to charge completely.
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SPECIAL STORY
Mr Yogesh Bhatia, MD, Detel In India people are using wireless speakers mostly domestically. Customers are considering something that will blend in with their home decor as well for example, a contemporary design, which is perfect for the urban living room. Also they are getting great sound for their smart devices and TV, simply and inexpensively, with Bluetooth speakers. Bluetooth
speakers are small, convenient and affordable. They require far less space than a standard speaker and can be transported almost anywhere. Future can be good with voice command. In the age of Smart Devices and Artificial Intelligence, these are the next big step for voice assistants. To put it simply, they are music speakers combined with a voice command system that the user can interact with. These devices work on a wake-up word to activate the voice command process. This smartness is the main factor that why people are attracting towards these devices.
Detel Tashan: Wireless and portable, the speaker is ideal for enjoying music outside, whether it’s a party, a picnic or a camping trip. The Bluetooth speaker comes with Mic, so one can enjoy karaoke with their friends and family as well. The speaker also has an FM tuner function and USB play and charge.
Mr. J.S.Ahuja, Director Akasaki India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world today. What we are witnessing is a paradigm shift in customer aspirations and preferences which will continue to change until another decade. When we look at Bluetooth users today we are essentially talking about the age group 16-35 young customers who are willing to experiment with new tech-
nology. Tier 2 & 3 cities will see a dramatic shift in customer preferences as they are aspiring cities of India’s future. Bluetooth as wireless technology has entered version 5.0 which includes its integration with IoT devices or mesh networks & AI voice assistants, this change will impact both Home and Commercial business’s and how they use IoT (Internet of Things) products and for manufacturers to integrate the new capabilities in their devices which effect a range of industries from Lighting, Industrial Automation, Networking, Internet, Automobile, etc.
Airmax AX-16 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker • It has inbuilt microphone for hands free call – which enables us to Answering /End / Reject calls without any disturbance while you are driving , listening to music etc. • It provides you up to 4 to 6 hours of playback at a full charge so that you can enjoy your music for a longer period of time. • With this wireless speaker you can connect all your bluetooth devices up to 10 m. • It provides you 1100 mAh battery capacity. • 1 year warranty period.
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SPECIAL STORY Mr. Rajneesh Wadhawan (NSM), Glorious India has seen the growth of speakers both in the commercial as well as home category. People specially the youth wants to get the latest technology that is Bluetooth speakers with unique designs and the sound quality. In the commercial space also surround sound systems have become common whether it be a 5 star hotel restaurant or a local café. Thus there is lot
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of scope for speakers in the both of categories. We at GLORIOUS seen this a big opportunity of latest upcoming trend and introduced unique ,eye catching designs and different shapes and models of Bluetooth speakers. The future trend in Bluetooth speakers segment will be smart connected speakers. Smart Speakers will not just be for listening to music but will you be able to use them for your day to day life with integration of google assistant or Alexa. With just one voice command you will be able to switch off/on the fan or mute /unmute the TV or the speaker itself.
Glorious :GL Music Built-in Bluetooth Wireless Transmission, can play U disk stored MP3 files, can play TF stored MP3, and support all 3.5 mm external audio input.
Mr Jitender Bhatia, JK Enterprises (JBTEK), Due to advancement in audio technology i.e., growing popularity of multi-room streaming, high R&D investments, advent of cloud-hosted music streaming services are main trends in the portable Bluetooth speakers is very high. Voice search allows users to perform a search by verbally asking a questions, format like these are getting huge demands & will increase more in this segment.
Mr. Pranay Punjabi - CEO & Director of Xech. Upon being educated, consumers are understanding the different kinds of technologies now available & are wanting to adopt the latest when it comes to Connectivity & Portability. This segment extends to using different devices for different
uses. Such as Voice Assisted Speakers, Bluetooth Speakers & adapting it differently for home or commercial use depending on the output required. Smart Speakers definitely seem to be the future trend along with additional features such as waterproof, shockproof & dust proof. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence in speakers has stimulated massive consumer interest in smart devices and MOBILITY MAY 2019
34 their potential applications. Consumers now want to be entertained, informed, educated and even control smart home devices by simply asking a question. As cloud-
connected systems continue to expand, these features are expected to be included in a much broader range of devices.
Xech Hot and Cold Flask with Bluetooth Speaker Detachable Bluetooth speaker flask Put the bluetooth speakers and water bottle together, use seamless connection and it will not leak water, suitable for indoor home or outdoor Bike, Riding, Fishing, Camp etc. The bottle body adopts advanced international inspection material - inside and outside Play your favorite music on-the-go, enjoy Music and stay Hydrated. Convenient carry handle. High Quality Hot AND Cold Flask With Bluetooth Speaker Stainless steel body with 500ML capacity Ideal for indoor and outdoor use Double desk vacuum flak with spill proof cap. Has inbuilt 5W water proof speaker, can connect with Bluetooth and Aux cable.Creative Product: Ready to be synced with your Bluetooth-enabled device & outfitted with control buttons, this wireless speaker bottle makes it easy to stay hydrated & entertained when biking, hiking, camping, etc. Mr. Rajesh Doshi, Founder & Director | Zebronics With the growth of smartphones adoption in the market, there corresponding growth in the demand for accessories. And the demand for wireless portable speakers has been increasing fast. Nowadays, users want Bluetooth speakers not just with multi-connectivity options but also with unique features that truly Mr. D. K. Bharti, Country Head – India |e-Ping The India mobile phone accessories market has grown significantly in recent years with immense opportunities owing to substantial growth in the worldwide adoption of smartphones and tablets. Decreasing prices of mobile phones is increasing smartphone penetration, which in turn is surging the growth of the India mobile phone accessories market. Increasing disposable inMr. Ishwar Kumhar, Director, University In India the adoption is more towards the Home segment. The major factor for this boost is the smart speaker segment. People are getting familiar to control appliances and completing tasks on a voice assistant for the first time. These new initiatives are going to smoothen the adoption cycle for the smart speakers in India. Slowly manufacturing of Bluetooth speakers has started in India and will definitely grow in long term. To make this process easier the other industries like PCB manufacturing, battery manufacturing etc
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set them apart. Now, most speakers at Zebronics are wireless supported and our headphone/earphones like Zeb-Peace are also wiretearphones like Peace, Thunder, etc come with voice assistance. Our speaker range is well designed to give an ultimate bass factor with high-end quality output for an audience that is truly in love with music and loves the kick of bass with their festivities. In future, we will see greater demand for accessories with advanced features like voice assistance. come has transformed consumer buying and spending trends mainly in urban areas. Adoption of mobile devices amongst the youth across the globe has provided a robust stimulus for the growth of the market. Moreover, increasing internet penetration has uplifted the trend of online retailing in the India mobile phone accessories market due to convenience of cash on delivery payment option and various price discounts along with a wide variety of products offered by e-retailers. This is anticipated to catalyse the growth of the India mobile phone accessories market.
should also be supported and a whole new ecosystem for manufacturing should be created. Portable devices obviously are in more demand and the obvious reason is the new mindset of Indian audience. Speakers are now coming in vibrant colors and have become a style statement. Portable water resistant speakers with AI functionality are trending now and will soon capture huge chunk of this segment. The future definitely will be dominated by AI enabled speakers. I would love seeing speakers and home automation bundling together to redefine this segment.
35 Mr. Arvinder Singh Sales & Operation Manager,SSKY With the increasing demand of the customers, Bluetooth speakers have witnessed widespread adoption in past few years, with these devices accounting for a sizable share in audio category. Bluetooth speakers come in many sizes and shapes, meeting the requirement of the consumers. With the end user utilising the devices having different requirement, there is a range of Bluetooth speakers available in Indian market for home and commercial use. Smart
speaker will the future segment which include LCD screen to watch videos also as the young generation also want to watch video with audio. The growth audio streaming technology in various application like wireless speaker and in cars – information systems, is driving the portable Bluetooth market. With the increasing Bluetooth usage in the audio and entertainment industry, 8 out of 10 speakers may include Bluetooth by the end of 2021. And the smart speaker market is expected to grow by three times by the end of 2021.
SSKY BTX-CANNON 6 W Bluetooth Home Audio Speaker • Battery Back-up: 2200mAh Rechargeable Battery, Built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery supports up to 9 hours of playtime and charges devices via the USB port • Control Buttons: The sound up & down, play & pause, call pick & cut, Bluetooth connect, Power button and multi-device connection buttons allows you to give more flexibility and control on your speaker all in one touch. Great, • Social Mode -Music has never been this social, connect up to 2 music sources to the same Charge 2 speaker and have a listen to everyone’s favorite tunes. It also has a memory card slot & aux compatible. • Crystal Clear Sound: Dynamic Sound Effect with Crystal Clear Sound Playback, thanks to the noise and echo canceling speakerphone Mr. Gaurav Goel, Founder and Sales Director, ZAAP India Yes, Portable Bluetooth speakers are suitable for outdoor use, making them a hit among outdoorsy Latin Americans. Proliferation of wireless technologies, coupled with increasing penetration of Smartphones & other smart devices, in Latin America too, we are also expecting the drive in the demand for portable Bluetooth speakers to go up phenomenally. The global wireless audio devices market has been
witnessing steady growth over the last few years on account of growing implementation of wireless devices in various sectors and the increasing demand for consumer electronics. The market has been divided into various product categories, namely, wireless speaker system, wireless headsets, wireless microphone, sound bars, and others. Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow with the highest rate due to growing advancement in the technology as well as due to the growing demand and adoption of smartphones in the region.
ZAAP Hydra Xtreme ZAAP Hydra Xtreme, compatible with iOS, Android & Windows devices comes with an astonishing battery backup due to its 2,000 mAh battery. This speaker can give up to 8 hours of play time with just one full charge. Hydra Xtreme further allows the users to accept or reject phone calls, change tracks or adjust the volume all with the help of its built-in microphone.
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5G
5G and what it means for cybersecurity
the buzz around 5G is reaching a fever pitch – barely a day goes by where it isn’t in the news. we’ve heard about the data capacity and speed increases, lower latency and lower power consumption. But what exactly does 5G means?
that has the private key can decode that”, says Dorothy Stanley, IEEE Member and Chair of the IEEE 802.11 Working Group
According to Babak Beheshti, IEEE Member and Interim Dean, College of Engineering and Computing Sciences, New York Institute of Technology, “The very design philosophy of 5G is based on network heterogeneity. This means that the network can be a combination of technologies such as Wi-Fi and LTE.”
So upcoming security technologies are promising. what can consumers do to make sure their current Iot setups are secure? For Kayne McGladrey, IEEE Member and Director of Security and Information Technology at Pensar Development, “Consumers should use the ‘guest’ network of their home Wi-Fi routers as a dedicated network for IoT devices, so if one of those devices were compromised, the threat actor can’t easily pivot to more valuable data.” That’s the case for newer devices, he says. “For older, cheap, IP-based security cameras and digital video recorders (DVRs), the easiest way to secure them is to recycle them responsibly as there often are no security updates available.” The ability to update devices over their lifetime is essential to security, and should factor into buying decisions, he says. Han Guangjie, IEEE Senior Member and professor at Hohai University, seconds this point: “Check and update the IoT device firmware. If IoT devices have exploitable vulnerabilities, manufacturers often identify and fix problems before the hacker can access the device’s environment.”
The meaning of 5G depends on the context of the discussion, but it’s likely to include a combination of technologies. This heterogeneity makes security more complex. However, there are already some exciting developments in the pipeline for 5G and IoT device security. “According to T-Mobile US, 4G information being carried across mobile networks was not always encrypted. In 5G, end-to-end encryption is intended to provide much stronger safeguards for data privacy,” Beheshti says. “Since IoT devices don’t often have robust user interfaces, using a QR code lets manufacturers create security protocols that can be operated without the use of a keyboard. The QR code is just a way to encode data. Basically, you’re encoding a public key that then can be used to establish and bootstrap trust. Only the peer device
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EVENT
Launches new headphone, car charger, Powerbank at Sales Meet
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unit of Ping Telematics Pvt Ltd, headquartered in NOIDA, is a manufacturer and provider of mobile accessories under the brand name, e-Ping, has launched new headphone, car charger and power bank at their first sales meet in Noida. The event was attended by over 50 pulse sales personnel of e-Ping from All over India. The company has been an OEM manufacturer, while they launched their own brand e-Ping in parallel to their OEM business. Amit Shukla, Director, e-Ping commented, “We have launched e-Ping brand in 2016 for mobile accessories like power banks, chargers, ear phones, cables and car chargers leveraging on our manufacturing facilities and experience. We want to add some more value-added products in course of time. Our products are value-for-money with nearOEM quality, but come at 50% of the cost of OEM products. The year 2019 will be our year of stabilization and in 2020 we plan to expand in a big way. We are encouraged by the response we have been getting from the customers and our aim is to become one of the top 5 brands in the mobile accessories segment in India.�
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REPORT
7 Out Of every 10 Individuals are vulnerable to data Breach & Privacy risk while disposing off their devices: Stellar Study
Global data care expert Stellar has conducted & announced findings of world’s largest known study of residual data in used devices.
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he study analysed a sample size of total 311 used devices comprising hard drives, memory cards, and mobile phones at Stellar’s central laboratory in India. The analysis revealed that a majority 71% of these devices contained personal data, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and sensitive business information. In a larger perspective, the report establishes that 7 out of every 10 individuals are vulnerable to data breach & privacy risks while disposing their old storage devices. The study was performed to ascertain the awareness levels amongst device owners, regarding usage of secure data wiping methods at the time of selling old storage devices. It also aims to create awareness about data privacy risks when file deletion or drive formatting are used with a faulty assumption as permanent data removal action. The devices analysed in the study were procured from individuals, online portals & resellers across multiple locations. Majority of these devices were analysed using a publicly available DIY software - Stellar Data Recovery that discovered thousands of files containing personal data. The residual data can easily fall into wrong hands, and can lead to identity thefts, financial frauds, personal security threats & user privacy issues. Businesses can be vulnerable to data theft & misuse of business-critical information like financial reports, trade agreements, intellectual property, business intelligence and trade secrets to name a few. MOBILITY MAY 2019
“This lack of awareness among customers at large can lead to an alarming rise in acts of cybercrime. It also underlines the acute importance of adoption of data sanitization procedures by individuals and organizations as a safeguard at time of disposal of old IT assets”, said Sunil Chandna, CEO, Stellar. “The Personal Data Bill 2018, when approved as a law could trigger development of a secure ecosystem leading to high awareness & risk mitigation actions by consumers & organizations,” said Chandna. The latest 2019 study is a second and a part of continued program of Stellar to measure the risk awareness using NAID Second-Hand Device Study Principles. NAID (National Association for Information Destruction), an international watchdog for the secure data destruction industry with more than 2000 member companies globally, has commended Stellar for being the first organization to conduct this study by using NAID principles. “The Stellar Second-Hand Electronic Device Study and similar studies before and after, demonstrate the gravity of the problem to regulators, businesses and consumers,” said Bob Johnson, NAID founder and i-SIGMA CEO. “By employing NAID’s principles to conduct the study, STELLAR has assured the results are accurate and the personal information found in the process was fully protected at all times”, said Bob.
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Google report reveals what Indians searched online D
id you know - Dating related searches in India are growing much faster than matrimony queries or that there has been a 75% increase in ‘Near Me’ queries and a 100% growth in queries for co-working spaces. These are some of the insights from Google’s annual Year in Search: Insights for Brands Report that was released today. The report is a deep dive into what Indian users are searching for online and the opportunities these trends can unlock for brands. Sharing insights from the report Vikas Agnihotri, Country Director, Google India said; “The online space in India has never been more vibrant. India has become the fastest internet consuming country in the world and the internet has now become the bridge to Bharat’s aspirations. As highlighted in the Year in Search Report, the growing influence of online video, increase in usage of language and voice, along with a rise of ML and AI are opportunities for brands and marketers. This enables brands to create relevant experiences to engage and retain customers on a platform that they spend considerable time on.” The top five emerging trends from the Google India Year in Search-Insights for Brands report are: 1. Bharat is going online: With an average yearly addition of 40 million users, the internet is being welcomed into homes all over India. Rise in online search volumes in non-metros is now trumping metros. Consumers in non-metros are using the internet to search for information regarding insurance, beauty and travel more than metros. 2. Video is the new search tool: Indian consumers love online video. Period. Everyday millions of users are using Video to ‘learn’ something new. Online video audience in India is expected to grow to 500 million by 2020. Watch time for Science videos as well as Hobby related videos in India have more than tripled in 2018. YouTube has also become the new beauty advisor, as watch time for Beauty Tips videos in India has doubled YoY in 2018 and searches related to beauty have grown by 40% last year. 3. Regional languages: Indian language internet users are expected to account for nearly 75% of India’s internet user base by 2021, and Google search trends show a significant move in this direction. Hindi is also gaining traction in the Technology sector with 2X increase in Hindi queries related to laptops and PCs. 4. The rise of omnichannel: With the rise of omnichannel, consumers are making the most of their online and offline experiences. Food seems to be the ‘topic of
highlights • 61% of all searches across BFSI are coming from non-metros • 55% of all auto related searches from non-metros • Interest in travel is much higher in non-metros highlights • 1/3rd of searches for online video are entertainment related • Lifestyle, education and business have shown 1.5x - 3x growth in last 2 years • 80% of car buyers use online video as a research destination highlights • 9 out of 10 new internet users in India are likely to be Indian language users • 2.3X jump in Hindi queries for smartphones and mobile phones highlights • 50% of organized retail to be influenced by digital in 2020 • 88% increase in ‘Near Me’ searches for telecom stores highlights • 7X rise in use of assistant • 2X sales for GSK Otrivin by running real time weather based campaigns
interest’ and pizza has emerged as a hot favorite for Indians searching online There was a 2.5X jump in aggregator brand queries in comparison to the total growth of food tech queries. 5. Assisting businesses through AI and ML: 2018 saw an increase in the adoption of online automation, as businesses used artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to drive efficiency and improve customer experience. Brands across various categories, such as BFSI and telecom, have started integrating voice assistants like Google Assistant with their customer service to help customers. Brands such as Uber, Ola, Meru made cab booking services available on Google Assistant. Furthermore, brands are using automated capabilities in digital marketing to save time and drive higher return on ad spend (ROAS).
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FUTURE TECH
Miko is India’s first companion robot for Kids M
y co-founders Chintan Raikar, Prashant Iyengar and I studied at IIT Mumbai for five years and worked together on several path-breaking projects out of a garage-like space. That was the time we decided to start a company together and after spending months discussing on the plans, we finally settled on a completely new category withMiko, a companion robot for kids that can answer questions, tell jokes, ask riddles, and initiate conversations, all the while getting better as it interacts with the child. We were interested in solving a Mr. Sneh vaswani, documented consumer Co-founder and CEO, Emotix problem so the parentchild relationship caught our interest. The genesis is very interesting. We were in Bangalore while looking around to zero down on our business plan, and that is when we saw a mother screaming at her child about “leaving a game of Temple Run he was obsessed with”. An almost-three-hour conversation later, we figured that parents don’t want to cut out children completely from technology, but needed “a trusted gateway of technology for kids that caters to their learning and development needs. It was this experience which ignited the vision of a companion robot for children manifested through Miko. First Breakthrough: Miko’s first prototype was picked up by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani’s EkStep Foundation in Bengaluru who saw Miko evolve from a white board concept to an actual product. Thereafter, we got some angel investments in 2016 followed by YourNest Venture Capital and IDG Ventures infusing pre-Series-A funds with which we were ready with a go-to-market version that could be scaled. Rest is history. Miko has received an overwhelming response and was not only picked up by urban consumers but also by schools in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Today, Miko2 is available at more than 300 touch-points including online and offline stores and has been registering a robust monthly growth rate. what’s your future plan with Miko Our target is to see how we can make Miko and its subsequent versions a household name. For example, Miko2 (the current version) offers the options for the child
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to interact in Hindi and Hinglish. The evolution will be contiguous going into Miko 3, Miko 4, essentially a tenyear pipeline. role of ai AI makes a lot possible. For example, Miko 2 can see, hear, sense, express, talk, recognize faces, remember names, identify moods, initiate a conversation and learn from its own environment to intuitively develop a bond with the child. The features which differentiates Miko from other products is that it can identify the child’s moods but also adapt to their personality. Miko 2 can also hear through active n o i s e cancellation microphones a n d has edge sensors that saves it from falling off edges such as tables and stairs. tell us more about Miko 2 India’s first and very own companion robot Miko which was the first product developed by the company about a year back, got a shiny new makeover with Miko2 introduced in the market in January 2019. The changes are not just cosmetic but remarkable in several ways. Miko 2 can see, hear, sense, express, talk, recognize faces, remember names, identify moods, initiate a conversation and learn from its own environment to intuitively develop a bond with the child. In terms of operation, while the 1.0 version (Miko1) required a smart phone to operate, the new version requires a one-time Wi-Fi set-up to be done through the Miko 2 app by the parent, post which, the child can talk with the robot directly through voice commands. Miko 2 sports a new HD camera that does face recognition, can hear through active noise cancellation microphones and has edge sensors that save it from falling off edges such as tables and stairs. Miko 2 comes with a “Time of Flight” sensor that enables the robot to better sense the surroundings and make decisions likewise. In addition to all the upgrades, the product now has a better battery life and improved display and sound quality.
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PRODUCT FEATURE
Pixel 3a An affordable phone by Google With Pixel 3a, all you need is to squeeze the phone to launch the Google Assistant, and easily send texts, get directions, and set reminders—simply using your voice. Pixel 3a is protected against new threats thanks to three years of security and operating system updates. It also comes with the custom-built Titan M chip to help protect your most sensitive data. new features at a more accessible price Pixel makes it easy to use Google apps—like YouTube, Google Photos and Gmail—and Pixel 3a users will get access to new features first. Pixel 3a and the entire Pixel portfolio will get a preview of AR in Google Maps (only available in areas covered on Street View,) so the next time you’re getting around town you can see walking directions overlaid on the world itself, rather than looking at a blue t its annual developer conference in Mountain View dot on a map. This helps you know precisely where you today, Google today announced two new additions are, and exactly which way to start walking. to their Pixel family: Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL. From a premium camera, having tools that will keep users connected to the world with their favorite apps, to a battery that is reliable for long stretches -- all the while staying secure and up to date with the latest software -- Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are all of these things and more, at half the price of many premium flagship phones.
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Google Pixel 3a delivers what users have come to expect from a premium device. Starting with the award-winning camera, Pixel 3a takes stunning photos using Google’s HDR+ technology with features such as Portrait Mode, Super Res Zoom, and Night Sight to capture clear shots in low light. The all-new camera mode Time lapse is coming to Google Pixel 3a, so capture an entire sunset in just a few seconds of video—great for posting on social media or messaging to your friends. With Google Photos built in, users can save high-quality photos and videos with free, unlimited storage. It comes with an 18-Watt charger, and delivers up to 7 hours of battery life on a 15-minute charge and up to 30 hours on a full charge.
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APP
Singapore-based BIGO Technology Announces Three-year Investment Plan in India
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IGO Technology the Singapore-based Internet companies dedicated to technology & innovation, has announced big investment plan of over USD 100 Million for its business in India over a span of next three years. By opening a regional centre in India, BIGO Technology is the first Singapore-based Internet company to step outside and become a growing local power. With over 57 patents in VoIP/Video related technology and over 356 patents are under the process of application, BIGO Technology is one of the major companies globally in field of app development and publishing of apps. India being the second largest market for smart phones, the growing Internet infrastructure and the blooming young population are the three key points to make this decision stated Jason HU - Co-founder & CTO, BIGO Technology. “We are truly humbled by the Indian people and their diversified culture. We strive to make the voice of the GREAT INDIA be heard by the world,“ said Jason. Soon the company will start its regional centre in India and will be creating employment opportunities to more than 1000 tech professionals. As per Hu, India has a strong culturally driven and diversified population. One need to get them embedded into the roots and makes their offerings
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acceptable by the people. This is why BIGO Technology is coming up with their own facility in India. BIGO Technology has built a strong team of over 100 AI experts and engineers to spearhead the global technological needs. The company follows customer centric approach and thus in order to safeguard its online users, it has developed one of the world’s strongest Artificial Intelligence backed up by a strong moderation model. This system has not only been beneficial to BIGO Technology, but is also assisting various other countries to vigilante the content on the Internet. Policing of inappropriate content still remains the top priority for this Singapore’s giant. By opening this centre BIGO Technology is not just helping Indian Economy to grow faster but also wants to win trust of their users by offering locally adapted products. In addition to expand their reach, BIGO is about to open two more Regional research centers - one in the USA and another one in MENA-Europe region by the end of this year. This step will make BIGO Technology stand as a truly global brand. The company’s special effect video editing tool LIKE App recently launched a series of new features and dynamic stickers to offer users with fun elements to enhance video-editing experience, has received very positive user feedback.
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Date of Pub: 10th May, 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