Microsoft, which launched Lumia 530 here last August, introduced Lumia 430 in Coimbatore on Wednesday, as tier-two, tier-three and tier-four towns have significant share in the affordable smartphone market in the country.
T.S. Sridhar, director-south of Nokia India, a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobiles Oy, told presspersons that affordable smartphone segment was growing at an exponential rate.
According to Strategy Analytics, the market for affordable smartphones (priced between Rs. 8,000 and Rs. 12,000 each) will grow four times faster than the rest of the smartphone market.
Replacement market
Tamil Nadu and Kerala had over 100 per cent teledensity and the replacement market was also high in these States. While those aged between 16 and 25 were among the largest buyers of smartphones, the demand from customers aged between 35 and 45 was also growing. Those who start using smartphones, first get into the affordable segment.
With high potential for this segment in the tier-two to tier-four towns and cities, the company has launched “Lumia Knockout on Wheels”. Eight vans will travel to 200 towns and cities in south India for the next one month to demonstrate working of Lumia phones.
Devices
Microsoft has about five devices in the affordable smart phone segment. Lumia 430 has Skype integration and can be upgraded to Windows 10 when it is introduced, he said.
