14 DAY TRIAL // Sony has just unveiled a new lineup of devices at IFA 2015, which consists of the Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Compact and Xperia Z5 Premium. So it seems that the company is continuing to pursue its smartphone ambitions despite seeing disappointing sales in the past with its Xperia Z3+ (Xperia Z4) flagship.
And in order to cut costs for all the handsets it is producing, the Japanese device maker has started looking towards the latest “Made in India” trend that is being adopted by other major phone makers around the globe.
A new report coming out of the Economic Times claims that Sony is planning to start assembling Xperia phones in India. Apart from assembling phones, the company will also start manufacturing budget-friendly handsets with prices under $150 / €134. Sony, just like Xiaomi which launched the Mi4i in the country, will start designing phones specifically targeted at the local market.
The Japanese conglomerate is said to be in talks with Foxconn and others in order to secure partnerships and start assembling smartphones in the country. The first batches of these domestically produced smartphones will start being rolled out by the end of the year.
Sony wants to make really affordable phones
India is the fourth largest mobile market right after US, China and Japan, so it’s no wonder why Sony wants to tackle it. The device maker’s lower range smartphones don’t really come with affordable prices, if you look from the perspective of the Indian consumer. But the company is looking to change its ways in order to secure a place within the Indian market, although it will have to come up with a clever strategy to stir customers from the competition.
The Indian market has already become oversaturated with countless budget offerings and local producers like Micromax or YU are leading the trend. Will there be room for Sony in the soup? It remains to be seen.
Last month, Motorola and its parent company Lenovo started manufacturing smartphones in the country. But HTC, ASUS, Microsoft or LG have also announced plans of moving their manufacturing facilities into Indian territory.
So what do you think? Do Sony’s budget smartphones have a chance of succeeding in India?