Indian Mobile scene and future

As you may know, the growth of mobile technology has been a major discussion point at technology seminars and talk shows over the years. Everyone has been predicting that more and more people will use mobile devices to access the internet, information, and e-commerce compared to traditional desktop or laptop computers. In a country like India, there will be many users who will go online for the first time, and they will directly use a smartphone, bypassing keyboards and mice altogether. In terms of numbers, they might even surpass some European countries.

Until recently, good mobile phones used to cost an arm and a leg. Even if you like Apple, it is still relatively expensive in India, as you have to buy the device upfront. However, things are changing rapidly. Starting with the Moto G, we are now seeing great phones (only Android-based) entering the Indian market for around $15,000 INR (approximately $250 USD). With companies like Asus and Xiaomi entering the market, it seems that everyone is going to feel the price pressure, especially in a market where people are very sensitive to prices but demand the best return on investment. News channels have reported that Asus sold 40,000 ZenPhone units in just 4 days..

This may be a great time for online retailers like Amazon, Myntra, and Flipkart, which are experiencing significant growth in this country. It’s likely that we will see a shift towards more non-cash transactions in India, although the exact outcome remains uncertain. Looking back, I recall the heated discussions I had with my friends about 1MP and 2MP digital cameras, and we never imagined that companies like Kodak would be out of business today while we have 20MP cameras in our phones.

Any company aiming for a significant market share of new and upcoming mobile users in this part of Asia must offer solutions in HTML5 or native Android. While it’s true that the iPhone 5 sold 20% more than its predecessor, the sheer numbers we are talking about here are enormous. HTML5 and hybrid models make more sense, especially given the diversity of Android devices with different screen sizes.