Micromax is making its biggest bet yet in India. Is it worth the risk?

Micromax, a brand popularly known for manufacturing handsets mainly in the price range of INR 2000-10,000, is likely to enter the premium smartphone market in India with its announcement of launch of smartphones with Helio chipsets. In partnership with MediaTek, it would become the first Indian brand tolaunch a device on the new Helio platform using X10. Helio chipsets are known to be much more powerful and efficient than any other in the market. But should it take the risk of shifting from its comfort zone and moving to a more niche market? If not, then surely the industry is curious to know as to how it would avail affordable Helio handsets in India.

“We are focussed in pioneering the market with innovation. We partnered with MediaTek because without the platform we can’t take those products to market. We will remain focussed in bringing any new technology to the mass at a larger scale,” Vineet Taneja, ceo of Micromax, told Business Insider India, while talking about their business strategies.

Finbarr Moynihan, General Manager, Corporate Sales International for MediaTek puts it this way; Helio X10 represents MediaTek’s mission to make leading technology inclusive and accessible to consumers.

Helio would enter India by this year-end or early next year, said Vineet. With the India launch of Helio X20 scheduled in 2016, Helio XP would also be launched soon in the coming months.

Micromax is headed on its way to undertake huge risks. Questions arise about its executive problems with the resignation of Chairman Sanjay Kapoor.

“That’s the change in the board level. Operationally nothing has changed. We are all secured and business is going in the right direction,” said Vineet.

Micromax also launched the first Indian smartphone with MediaTek 6735, Micromax Canvas Fire 4G. It is a part of its roadmap with MediaTek to fuel India’s 4G adoption.

Vineet added that Micromax will launch three more devices of this roadmap this September and five more before Diwali.

Features:

1. Platform- MediaTek MT6735

2. 4G LTE

3. LTE CAT 4 (upto 150 Mbps download)

4. 1.0 GHz Quad Core ARM Cortex A53

5. 4.5 inch display screen

6. 5 MP AF Rear Camera 1.2 MP Front camera

7. RAM- 1GB DDR3/ROM 8 GB

8. Android Lollipop 5.1

(Image credits: waggeneredstrom)