HMD Global, the maker of Nokia-badged feature- and smart-phones, may soon enter the emerging 4G feature-phone segment that is getting a huge push from JioPhone of Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio.
Mehta said that the feature-phone category is very important for the Nokia brand because of its potential size in India. Nokia does have four feature phones in India, including the new-generation 3310 device. According to Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research, 24 million 4G feature-phones are likely to be shipped by the end of this year.
In the open handset market, home-bred player Lava has already launched its 4G feature-phone, while it’s bigger rival, Micromax will soon launch its 4G feature-phone in a tie-up with state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL). The tie-up offers include free voice plans.
Currently, Qualcomm and Spreadtrum are providing chipsets for 4G feature-phones in the country. Both companies separately told ET that multiple Indian and Chinese OEMs and ODMs have plans to launch 4G feature-phones using their chipsets.
Nokia, once the largest handset brand, re-entered India with Android-based smart-phones, looking to establish itself as one of the top three smart-phone player, leveraging the brand’s reputation.
The executive said that customer response has been positive.HMD Global, which last week launched its flagship smart-phone Nokia 8 in India, now expects a 40-50 percent increase in handset sales during the festive season.
