Marketing professional S. Manikandan needed the Internet on the go. He needed it to access presentations, search for information on the move, upload Excel files and, on occasions, make
conference calls to his clients. His earlier phone used to hang constantly and was subject to virus attacks. He was looking to migrate to a bigger, better phone. The whopping discounts and special offers during Deepavali were just what he needed. Manikandan now owns a Nokia 520, bought through an attractive exchange offer. “I paid just Rs. 7,200 by exchanging my old phone, and have recommended it to my friends and colleagues,” he says.
V. Padmanabhan, another marketing professional, was keen on upgrading to a touch phone for long. “These phones have become more popular than the regular models. Even school kids use touch screen phones, and I didn’t want to be left behind. With the special offers underway, the time was ripe to change.” He bought himself a Galaxy Duos a week ago. It set him back by about Rs. 9,900.
Not just textiles and electronic equipments, hand gadgets are also flying off the shelves during the festive season. People are either trading in their old phones for new ones or lapping up the discounts they get through exchange offers. Many make a beeline to multi-brand retail outlets to get more tech savvy this Deepavali.
What’s popular?
For those looking at not just a smart phone, but one with greater reliability, the Nokia Lumia 720 seems a popular choice. “I can access all my presentations and Word documents due to the good processing speeds on this phone. The screen is also compact to watch films or videos,” says K. Raghuram, who bought it for Rs. 18,400.
Those in favour of a high-end Windows phone are opting for the Nokia Lumia 925, priced at Rs. 35,000. It has a high-resolution camera and a compact screen.
The Samsung Galaxy Grand attracts buyers with its high-definition screen. It also offers the option to work on multiple windows. This is priced at Rs.18,500.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 also falls under this category. Buyers have upgraded to this, for its screen and bigger storage space. “I store many applications and games on my phone. Also, the high speed enables me to open heavy documents more easily,” says K. Natarajan, who bought the Note 2 at Rs. 31,500.
Tablets are also doing brisk business this year. Models to choose from include Lenovo and Samsung. Prices begin from an affordable Rs. 9,000. Apple loyalists are sticking to the iPad Mini. Prices start from Rs. 22,000.
Budget phones
Those on a tight budget also have many options. Smart phone models that serve their purpose and yet remain light on the pocket are popular. Models include the Nokia Lumia 520, Samsung Galaxy Duos, Micromax Lite A 92, Celkon A107 Plus, and the HTC Desire U, all in the range of Rs. 9,000 to Rs. 11,300.
Exchange offers
Many people end up buying more expensive phones, tempted by the exchange offers. The Nokia Lumia 520 comes at Rs. 7,289 when you exchange your older model for it. Depending on how pricey the models are, the discounts get higher. While some migrate within brands, others switch loyalties to land the best deal.
