14 DAY TRIAL // Online retailer Flipkart, one of the most popular distributors of mobile devices in the country, is reportedly planning the launch of its own smartphones.
The retailer is reportedly aiming at bringing to the market at least two handsets in the not too distant future, though the company hasn’t finalized all the necessary details on them as of now.
According to a recent article on BGR India, Flipkart has been long interested in the launch of such a device, though it did not find the right moment to release it thus far.
However, it seems that the strong demand that it has seen on the entry-level Moto G smartphone over the last several weeks has determined it to pursue said plans.
Apparently, the company has been in talks with chip makers such as Intel, MediaTek and Qualcomm for about two years for the release of its own branded smartphones, and has finally decided to bring to the market two handsets featuring products from one of the three makers.
Unfortunately, specific details on the matter haven’t been provided as of now, and it might take a while before the phones are actually unveiled, it seems.
In the meantime, however, you might want to know that the move would make Flipkart the very first retailer that does not have brick and mortar stores to release such a device.
However, as BGR India notes, Tata Group’s retail chain, Croma, is already selling white label gadgets under its own name, including smartphones.
And with an increase interest in mobile devices observed in emerging markets such as India, it was only a matter of time before more companies started to be interested in grabbing some share of the market.
In fact, a recent report on smartphones and tablet PCs coming from Convergence Catalyst, e-commerce companies represent one of the strongest distribution channels for mobile devices in India, especially when it comes to smartphones.
“Their no-frills operations, lean supply chain, direct access to consumers and growing brands (of some of the leading players) make them the preferred partners for many smartphone OEMs,” said report states.
“We also expect some of the leading E-Commerce players to launch their own brand of smartphones (through white labeling/ODM strategy), leveraging their direct consumer connect and strong brands,” Convergence Catalyst also notes.
Thus, Flipkart might be only the first online retailer in the country to announce its own branded smartphones in the not too distant future, provided that the new report on its plans do indeed pan out, of course.