Micromax turns ‘desi’ in a revolutionary way

Micromax would offer translation and transliteration with 10, 000 apps in local languages for the first time in India to attract more customers. It would use a patented Swipe Technology from MoFirst Solutions to do the translation works in 10 languages, including Hindi to English and vice-versa.

The leading homegrown handset maker Micromax would also provide access to App Bazaar with such apps.

Moreover, the App Bazaar has some of the most accepted apps such as Skype and Clean Master and several others in 10 local languages, including Tamil and Marathi, which cover 800 million people in India.

The handset maker would provide service in association with Mo-First's Android-based regional language operating system Firstouch.
"We're confident that about 80 to 100 million new users will come on board the smartphone market in India. Which is why for us, getting the language piece right is very critical," Micromax's chief marketing officer Shubhajit Sen told the Economic Times, confirming the tie-up.

India's No. 2 handset maker Micromax wanted to establish itself in the country’s crowded market as its market share is declining compared to Chinese smartphones in recent months.

Micromax's Canvas Unite 3, which was launched this month priced Rs 6,999, has Firstouch's local language suite, targeting millions of people using smartphones who aren't comfortable with English.

"The Unite 3 is a very strategic model for us where we're going a step ahead with translation and transliteration. We're going to work with them across all our phones for the language support, going forward," Sen told the financial daily.

Micromax has established linkages with Microsoft, Gameloft, EA Games, Disney, Zapak and Sony Music to increase the number of apps.
Micromax will begin a 360-degree advertising campaign in this month to promote the device. The device is available on ecommerce websites Snapdeal and Flipkart between Rs 6,700 and Rs 7,100.

The home-bred handset maker had a 15.3 per cent share of the smartphone market at the end of March, as per Counterpoint Research, a sharp decline from 19.5 per cent in the previous quarter.

MoFirst, which abandoned its own move to sell smartphones, is now working with an approach of making smartphone vendors partners rather than competing with them, in such a competitive market.

Chinese smartphone makers such as Xiaomi, Huawei, ZTE, Gionee and the latest Meizu are offering highend devices at very competitive prices, adding to the competition from local vendors such as Lava, Intex and Karbonn.

(Image: Indiatimes)