by admin | May 25, 2021 | Branding, Business, Economy, Emerging Businesses, Investing, Markets, News, Technology
By Vishav,
Shenzhen (China) : Indian mobile phone manufacturer Lava International plans to target the sub-10k market segment while also investing in research and development (R&D) of new and unique designs and features for its phones to take on its competitors.
According to Lava’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Sunil Raina, the company, perhaps the only one from India to design and manufacture mobile phones in China, invested in an R&D centre in Shenzhen quite early on in its journey to ensure it does not disappear from the scene in a few years but “establishes itself as one of the leading global players in the technology space”.
The 700-strong team of engineers — mostly Chinese, but a fair number of them Indians — in the facility here focuses on undertaking key design processes, including hardware design and engineering, mechanical design, industrial design as well as software development for its Android-based smartphones and feature phones.
“Opportunities come to countries, companies and people. Now the opportunity is travelling to India, which will also create opportunities for businesses and brands to become global players,” Raina told this visiting IANS correspondent.
He added that at a certain point of time, opportunities come for global brands to emerge from a country — as it happened with Google and Facebook in the US, Sony in Japan, Samsung and LG in South Korea, and Huawei and Oppo in China.
“If and when that happens, we are doing everything possible to make sure we are one of them” by focusing on product experience, purchase experience, communication experience and after-sales service experience, he said.
Lava’s current products sell in India and in Southeast Asian and African countries.
Raina said its new products from this China facility will be able to give fair competition to global brands.
Interestingly, Chinese players have been rapidly increasing their market share in the Indian market, with local players Micromax Informatics, Lava International and Karbonn Mobiles losing their place among the top-five mobile brands to Xiaomi, Vivo and Oppo. In the first quarter of 2017, the market share of Chinese mobile phone manufacturers was about 51 per cent.
Raina said that Lava sees an opportunity in the sub-Rs 10,000 segment of the market, where it currently has an 11 per cent market share.
“We want to dominate the sub-10k segment by acquiring over 50 per cent of the market share and that is why you would see most of our upcoming new phones targeted at this segment,” he said, adding that these phones would offer features of high-end mobile phones at a lower price point.
Deepak Mahajan, Vice President-Product at Lava International, said in the current scenario, at least one Indian company had the possibility of becoming a truly multinational giant in the mobile phone space and his company hoped to occupy that slot.
“We have a very large domestic market; we have a strong leadership focused on bringing design, R&D and manufacturing to India; and the costs of manufacturing in China are now getting higher compared to India. It is only a matter of time,” Mahajan explained.
“The fact that, unlike our competitors, we are designing our phones from scratch — and that we have our own hardware designs — gives us an edge,” he added.
On an average, Lava develops about eight smartphones and three feature phones per year at its China facility, said Gaurav Nigam, Senior Vice President and Head of Product.
While the company has set up its R&D facility in China, its India-based Design Centre has also kicked off operations and will start rolling out its products by the end of this year, Nigam said.
(Vishav was in China at the invitation of Lava International to visit its Shenzhen design and R&D facility. He can be contacted at vishav@ians.in)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Branding, Business, Markets, Technology
By Krishna SinhaChaudhury,
New Delhi : Chinese smartphone makers Vivo and Oppo have created a strong presence in India with their selfie-focused devices such as Vivo V5 Plus and Oppo F3 Plus. Now, Taiwan-based ASUS has joined the race with Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro.
Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro is the flagship model in the “Zenfone 4 Selfie” series and, the company claims, features the world’s most advanced 24MP “DuoPixel” front shooter. The device is also being touted as the world’s first to come with 4K selfie video-recording capability.
Priced at Rs 23,999, the smartphone essentially competes with the likes of Vivo V5 Plus, Gionee A1 Plus and Oppo F3 Plus.
Will the selfie bet work for ASUS? Let’s find out.
A key highlight of the smartphone is the 24MP dual-front camera set-up with a f/1.8 aperture and Sony “IMX362” dual-pixel image sensor.
The front camera is also equipped with features like Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF), Electronic Image Stabilisation (EIS), 4K video recording, DTI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging) technology and Super Pixel technology.
There is a secondary 5MP front shooter with f/2.2, 120-degree wide angle field of view and softlight LED flash.
The selfie camera resolution is set to 12MP by default and that lets the user click photos in “portrait mode” (which adds DSLR-like blurred background effects to the images).
One can activate the 24MP DuoPixel resolution in the settings. However, switching to this mode does not let the user try “portrait mode”.
The user can click standard and wide-angle snaps for selfies and “groupfies” when DuoPixel mode is turned on. Meanwhile, the “auto”, “selfie panorama”, “beauty” and “GIF animation” features work alike in both resolutions.
The selfie camera impressed us both indoors and outdoors. The “portrait mode” produced decent selfies with enough detail.
The soft LED flash lets the user capture better selfies in low-light conditions.
Open the camera app and swipe right to further choose filters like grayscale, warm, hipster, retro, faded, nostalgic, vibrant and blush.
In our opinion, selfies clicked in the 12MP mode looked better than those shot in 24MP DuoPixel resolution. There were some loss of detail, though, in the 12MP mode.
The 16MP rear snapper with PDAF and EIS captures good images sans any over-saturation.
The 5.5-inch, full HD display is good with decent sunlight legibility. Above the display are the dual camera modules, an LED flash, earpiece and proximity sensor.
Below the screen lies home button that doubles up as fingerprint sensor and two back-lit navigation buttons.
Both the volume rockers and power key (with ASUS’ trademark concentric circles) are placed at the right side of the device. The left side houses hybrid SIM card slot.
The rear follows neat design with camera module and flash while the ASUS logo sits below it.
Like many other Android phones in the market today, the Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro also has antenna bands running on the top and bottom on the rear side.
The device sports a metal unibody design with a very light form factor. We found the phone ergonomic and easy to use with one hand.
It is worth mentioning that the device runs ASUS’ own “ZenUI” based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat operating system (OS) which comes with much less bloatware this time.
A Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset built on 14 nanometer (nm) process powers the device. That, coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage, delivered smooth performance.
Another good thing is the built-in FM radio that most Android smartphones give a miss these days.
What does not work?
The 3000mAh battery (with fast-charging support) disappointed despite a power efficient processor. It did not last through the day on moderate usage like browsing YouTube, running Google apps and social media use.
We also noticed that while playing games the device gets warm within just 15-20 minutes.
Conclusion: ASUS Zenfone Selfie Pro is indeed a good buy for the selfie-focused generation. Apart from delivering good selfies, there is smooth performance and premium looks that make it a strong contender in this price segment.
(Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at krishna.s@ians.in)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Branding, Business, Large Enterprise, Markets, Technology
By Vivek Singh Chauhan,
New Delhi : After the launch of the ‘Turbo 5’ in June, US-based technology company InFocus has now introduced ‘Turbo 5 Plus’ that comes with a massive 4,850mAh battery and is priced in the sub-Rs 10,000 category.
At Rs 8,999, the device competes with Panasonic’s ‘P55 Max’ that offers a 5,000mAh battery.
Let’s see what works for the device.
As the dual camera set-up at the rear is currently in vogue in the smartphone industry, ‘Turbo 5 Plus’ also flaunts 13MP+5MP sensors at the back, with f/2.0 and f/2.2 aperture, respectively.
The device also supports auto focus and features dual-LED flashlight and digital zoom. The cameras have wide-angle lenses of 120 degrees.
The device is also equipped with 5MP front shooter with f/2.4 aperture along with digital zoom.
A thorough use of the device revealed that the battery can last for more than 24 hours on normal usage.
Encased in a metallic cover, the device sports a 5.5-inch HD display with 2.5D curved display (resolution of 720 pixels by 1280 pixels).
With a smooth and glossy back cover, the device won’t slip from your hands.
‘Turbo 5 Plus’ is powered by octa-core MediaTek MT6750 SoC coupled with 3GB of RAM and runs on Android Nougat. When it comes to storage, the device has 32GB of inbuilt storage that can be expanded up to 64GB via a microSD card.
If you are using only few apps on the device at a time, it will work fine. But too much load may result in the device becoming a bit sluggish.
On the positive side, the touch of the smartphone device works perfectly fine and it doesn’t heat up at all.
The volume and power keys are placed at the right edge. A micro-USB charger port is placed at the bottom edge while a jack is placed on the top edge. The phone has two speakers fitted on the bottom edge but only the one on the right is functional while the other is a dummy (just a design element).
The front fingerprint sensor is responsive, making the accessibility to apps easy for the users.
On the connectivity front, the device comes with 4G VoLTE support and regular options like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB OTG, microUSB and GPS. The device also comes with dual-SIM.
What doesn’t work.
The images captured from the device were of average quality in both low and bright light conditions. It wasn’t as sharp as compared to other smartphones in the sub-Rs 10,000 category.
Recharging the battery took longer than expected.
Conclusion: ‘Turbo 5 Plus’ is just another smartphone in the sub-Rs 10,000 category. It may attract people who want longer battery back-up but would disappoint camera lovers.
(Vivek Singh Chauhan can be contacted at vivek.c@ians.in)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Branding, Business, Marketing Basics, Markets, Sales, SMEs, Technology
By Krishna SinhaChaudhury,
New Delhi : At a time when the dual-camera set-up at the rear is the buzz in the smartphone industry, how can Taiwan-based ASUS be left behind?
The newly-launched “Zenfone Zoom S” from ASUS comes with 12MP dual-camera system.
The primary camera is powered by Sony IMX 362 optics and has an f/1.7 aperture. The other camera comes with 12x “total” zoom and 2.3x “true” optical zoom — a feature which is not found even in Apple iPhone 7 Plus that features only a 2x optical zoom.
The smartphone also boasts of features such as Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), Electronic Image Stabilisation (EIS), Dual Pixel Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) and 4K video recording.
ASUS has aggressively priced Zenfone Zoom S at Rs 26,999 against the likes of Honor 8 Pro, Moto Z2 Play and OnePlus 5.
Is the new offering from ASUS all about the cameras or is there more to it? Let us find out.
What drew our attention was the phone’s slim form factor — at 7.9mm and 170g — despite housing a hefty 5,000mAh battery inside. Its nearest competitor Honor 8 Pro is tad slimmer at 7mm but weighs 184g.
Both the volume rockers and power key are placed on the right side and come with ASUS’ trademark concentric circles. The left side houses a hybrid SIM card slot.
Zenfone Zoom S has a standard 3.5-mm headphone socket, a USB Type-C port and a single speaker grille at the bottom.
Talking about its main highlight — the dual camera set-up sits almost flush in the back. There is a slight bump, though. Below the camera module is a dual-tone, dual LED flash and the laser autofocus system.
The 12MP + 12MP dual camera sensors have the same resolution, but they work differently.
The “SuperPixel” main camera has an aperture of f/1.7 and 25-mm focal length while the other sensor has an f/2.6 aperture and focal length of 59 mm.
The latter comes with 2.3x optical zoom and that is why the secondary sensor is used to optically zoom into the subject.
Both the sensors work to produce beautiful images with great detail. Zenfone Soom S managed to capture decent images in low-light conditions as well, courtesy the OIS feature.
The camera interface is fairly simple with modes like depth of field, all smiles, professional manual controls and beautification, among others.
This is also the world’s slimmest dual-camera smartphone with a massive 5,000mAh battery.
The build of Zenfone Zoom S is top notch with a metal unibody design and antenna bands running at the top and bottom on the rear side, similar to what we saw on the iPhone 7 Plus.
The 5.5-inch full-HD AMOLED display is capable of producing vivid colours. It made blacks look deep and colours pretty rich. Sunlight legibility was great, thanks to the brightness level of 500 nits.
The display is topped up with a protective layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and has 2.5D curve that renders a smooth finish to it.
The fingerprint sensor is placed on the rear of the phone and is very accurate and fast.
We managed to get almost two days of battery life on a single charge, thanks to the hefty battery.
A Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage (expandable up to 2TB via MicroSD card) enables the device handle daily tasks with ease.
The front side accommodates a 13MP selfie camera sensor with f/2.0 aperture that captures good shots.
What does not work?
ASUS is still using non-backlit keys which is an annoyance; it is time that the Taiwanese giant ditches these old-fashioned keys.
The company’s custom interface — called ZenUI 3.0 and based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat — is heavy. It is the same that was found in previous ASUS phones and has lost much of its sheen.
Lack of fast-charging support is also a bit disappointing.
Conclusion: Zenfone Zoom S is a great choice when it comes to camera performance and build quality. It is worth mentioning that the phone is not only about its cameras; its battery life makes it stand out in the crowd.
(Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at krishna.s@ians.in)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Business, Markets, Technology
By Krishna SinhaChaudhury,
Mumbai : To lure the selfie-loving generation in India, Vivo V7+ is now here, offering a 24MP front camera with an aperture of f/2.0 and an aspect ratio of 18:9 for more viewing space and a better immersive experience while browsing videos and playing games.
Bezel-less devices began gaining popularity with premium smartphones such as Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and LG G6. At Rs 21,990, V7+ joins the bandwagon with slimmer top and bottom bezels.
The key highlight of the V7+ is its edge-to-edge IPS “Full View” display that is similar to Samsung’s “Infinity Display” and LG’s “FullVision Display”.
Vivo has positioned the device as a “revolutionary selfie camera” smartphone, but is it enough to entice buyers in the fiercely competitive Indian market?
Let’s find out.
Talking about the design, there is no fingerprint sensor at the front. On-screen buttons are placed above the thin bezel at the bottom while above the top bezel sits the ear piece, the selfie camera with flash and the proximity sensor.
Vivo has been riding on the success of its selfie-focused smartphones and V7+ too delivers impressive selfies. The camera produces images with “bokeh” effect sans a dual-camera setup. With bokeh, users can blur the background with sharper contrast and visual appeal of the subject.
The device sports a 24MP selfie camera with “selfie softlight” which is a significant upgrade from 20MP front cameras on V5 Plus and V5s smartphones.
An interesting addition to the camera is the “live photo” feature that is similar to what we saw on iPhone 6S and 6S Plus.
The “live photo” feature creates a moving image instead of capturing a moment in time with a still photo. The user has to select the feature to capture an image with the moments just before and after the picture is taken having sound and movement.
The camera interface is fairly simple and comes with handy modes such as group selfie, face beauty, HDR and portrait.
The device, with a 16MP rear camera, sports dual antenna bands at the rear. The metal unibody design makes the phone extremely sturdy and feel premium. The power and volume keys are placed on the right with good tactile feel.
A dual-SIM slot and a dedicated MicroSD card slot to expand memory up to 256GB are located on the left.
The bottom of the device houses a speaker grille, a Micro-USB 2.0 port and a standard 3.5-mm audio jack.
In terms of connectivity, the V7+ offers 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, and GPS.
The 5.99-inch IPS display (1440×720 pixels) offers decent sunlight legibility and colour reproduction. The screen is topped with a 2.5D curved-edge Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection.
Like many other smartphones in the market these days, there is an “eye protection” mode to cut out blue light.
The almost 6-inch edge-to-edge display makes for a great video browsing experience.
In terms of software, Vivo V7+ sports 1.8Ghz Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset with 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage, which is a good combination for multi-tasking.
Vivo V7+ is powered by a 3,225mAh battery, which lasted over a day-and-a-half on a single charge.
The Snapdragon 450 processor is known to be power-efficient which reflects on the battery life of V7+. It lasted over a day on moderate usage during our review.
Vivo’s custom “Funtouch OS” that is based on Android 7.1 Nougat, offers smooth performance despite being a heavy Android skin.
There was no noticeable stutter when we browsed the internet (opened multiple tabs), watched videos and used WhatsApp simultaneously.
The fingerprint sensor is very responsive in unlocking the device.
What does not work?
Its edge-to-edge display is not full-HD — which is a disappointment. V5 Plus came with a 5.5-inch full-HD display.
The 16MP primary camera struggled a bit in low-light conditions. There is no fast-charging support either.
Conclusion: V7+ is the first smartphone to feature a 24MP front camera and edge-to-edge “Full View” display — a great package. Its dual selfie cameras and availability in the offline market make it an impressive selfie smartphone your hard-earned money may love to buy.
(Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at krishna.s@ians.in)
—IANS
