Thursday, September 05, 2013: Ever since Microsoft announced its decision to acquire Nokia’s devices and services segment, the whole of tech media is flooding with news about the deal. Not only is the media kicked about it, so are electronic component manufacturers, distributors and retailers in India.
Ashok Dhawan, country manager, Flextronics India told Hindu Business Line, “It is a big positive for us.” It supplies cell phone chargers from its plant at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, to Nokia globally.
Flextronics develops Microsoft’s Xbox out of its facility in China and it encompasses a series of video game with consoles. “We do not know, we may, in future start manufacturing Xbox in India,” Dhawan said.
Echoing the emotion, R Srinivasan, managing director, Redington (India) Ltd said, “We look at it very positively.” He further added that the distribution strategies of both the companies are different. Redington has been Microsoft’s partner for over 15 years now for the distribution of Microsoft’s gaming products such as Xbox and Kinect.
While many companies are gung ho about the development, some are wary too. Chennai-based mobile retailer said that it is too early to predict Microsoft’s changed strategy to distribute Nokia phones in India. “However, we are excited about deal, which will give us an opportunity to work with two big brands that have huge market base in India,” he said.
