Tag: india

  • Canon opens New Delhi flagship Store

    Canon opens New Delhi flagship Store

    Canon India has launched a flagship Canon Image Square (CIS) store in New Delhi. The flagship CIS store aims to “enrich the consumer experience for all Canon products” across segments ranging from entry-level cameras to high-end professional cameras. In addition to this, the store is also exhibiting Cinema cameras, a few leading Canon printers and a wide range of lenses.

    “Commitment towards the country and dedication of Canon, together has translated into growth over the years,” said Canon India president and CEO Kazutada Kobayashi. “With the launch of first of its kind Canon Image Square flagship store, Canon India marks another milestone to ensure an interactive and informative buying experience for our existing and potential customers.

    “CIS stores have been successful in contributing to Canon’s significant customer outreach and positioning it as a market leader. Having established its presence with more than 250 stores in 100+ cities, we take pride in being total solution providers in the imaging arena. The launch of this flagship CIS stores will certainly raise the benchmark for customer service,” he said.

    “The new flagship store is fashioned in such a way that it creates a sweeping experience for the customers with the gamut of cameras including cinema cameras, lenses and complete imaging solution in order to make the right choice of the products,” said Canon India VP consumer imaging & information centre Eddie Udagawa. “The store also features some of the leading printers that have been delighting the consumers.

    “New Delhi is one of the key markets for us, not just in terms of the customer base but also for being abreast with the technology trends that influence other markets. We look forward to receiving great feedback from our customers and add value to their imaging experience.”

  • India plans to implement fixed number portability

    India plans to implement fixed number portability

    India’s Department of Telecom has asked telecoms regulator Trai to draw up recommendations for the planned implementation of nationwide fixed number portability.

    The department has sent a reference to the regulator on fixed line portability in line with the government’s planned ‘one nation, one number’ policy.

    As part of the proposal, India would transition to 10-digit fixed line numbers, by merging current STD codes with the seven to eight digit landline numbers.

    India started implementing mobile number portability since 2010, starting with specific telecoms circles or service areas. The ability to port numbers between service areas was introduced in July 2015.

    Since 2010 India’s mobile operators have fielded more than 428.4 million porting requests.

    But according to the report, the Department of Telecom expects the implementation of fixed number portability to be significantly more complicated, due to issues including copper last mile connectivity and the presence of competing fixed line service providers.

    As a result, the department expects the consultation and recommendation drafting process to be a protracted one.

    Porting landline numbers could also take more time than porting mobile numbers – which can currently be completed in between two to four days.

  • Zephyr Toymakers Pvt Ltd: Raising children to be future-ready through play

    Zephyr Toymakers Pvt Ltd: Raising children to be future-ready through play

    Zephyr Toymakers Pvt Ltd is India’s largest indigenous toy manufacturing company and parent to the most well-known toy brands ‘Mechanix’ and ‘Blix’. The company endeavours to encourage kids to be innovators of the future. All their products serve the purpose of being fun as well as educative.

    Zephyr stands by the motto to make your kids future ready. They believe that there are two types of people, ‘Technology creators’ and ‘Technology Consumers’. Majority of today’s population of young adults fall under the latter category, where they are consuming technology created by Gen X to simplify the chores.

    Zephyr Toymakers focuses on to develop logical thinking skills as well as teaching children as young as ten years how to program. The point is to curate products that help the child to learn the fundamentals of how a machine works as well as to develop curiosity and problem-solving skill. By keeping the above-mentioned points in mind, Zephyr with its wide range of toys focuses on to develop Problem-solving skills, Critical thinking skills, Creative thinking skills, Ability to learn and adapt Interdisciplinary skills and Social skills. In simple terms give the children the skill sets to adapt to the future and make the most of this fast-changing scenario and the forever changing world.

    Since tomorrow is unknown, one cannot fathom the skills a child will need then but the skills that will help them learn those necessary skills needs to be learnt today. Thus, Zephyr invests in manufacturing products that help the child in early learning. They are more involved in STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and other toys that are designed to enhance cognitive development in children at a young age.

    Zephyr’s most popular toy brand ‘Mechanix’ specifically helps a child develop design thinking skills and problem-solving skills. For instance, when a child is playing and making a ‘Mechanix’ model they will encounter situations where they might get stuck and realise, they cannot do what they anticipated to do next. This encourages them to think around the problem and find a new way to go ahead on their own.

    ‘Blix’ by Zephyr is an amazing new system that develops and explains the technical part of engineering to kids as young as a 10-year-old. It basically allows the kids a backdoor entry into the high-tech engineering that is put in to build a motorcycle, a car or even a remote control. They learn the technicalities of how gears and circuits work to change speed, direction and create interesting motions. This allows the kids to learn how a circuit or a gearbox works and inspire them to always rebuild something out of their imagination using the same parts.

    ‘Mechanix’ and ‘Blix’ being Zephyr’s popular toy brands they also offer a variety of board games. Memory Skill, Dog and the Bone, Alien Invasion, Oranges and Lemons to name a few. These are basically two-player games which help kids learn how to make a choice and decide the next move by analysing the information they already have. Other than this, Zephyr has games like Doctor sets, Discover India and Teaching Aids that include Alpha Numero Board and E- Circuit Sets. The only mission Zephyr toys have is to impart learning through play.

    Moiz Gabajiwala, CEO at Zephyr Toymakers Pvt Ltd quoted “At Zephyr, we believe that in today’s age of fast learning and exposure, it is important we introduce kids to correct and productive tools that aid in developing their personality. It is important to share the responsibility towards a child’s development by developing toys that provide not only hours of productive work but also instill in them the skills during their formative years to help them thrive”.

  • India’s Netplus to deploy Nokia GPON technology

    India’s Netplus to deploy Nokia GPON technology

    Indian multi-system operator Fastway Media’s broadband division Netplus has contracted Nokia for a high-speed broadband deployment in Northern India.

    Under the agreement, Netplus will deploy Nokia’s GPON technology to cater to the growing demand for higher capacity, speeds and quality.

    Initial deployments will focus on the states of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Netplus will use the upgraded network to provide high-speed broadband, IPTV and quad play services.

    “The demand for high speed and quality broadband is increasing across the country. Our network infrastructure will allow us to provide a best-in-class broadband network to our subscribers. We have been the front-runners in delivering high-speed broadband services across 135 cities in 6 states,” Fastway Group CEO Prem Ojha said.

    “ We are confident that Nokia’s field-proven products and solutions will enable us to enhance the overall quality of our services and will also empower Netplus Broadband in delivering converged services that include hi-speed broadband, Smart Voice, and OTT and IPTV services.”

  • Honda’s EV Journey In India To Begin With Hybrid Technology

    Honda’s EV Journey In India To Begin With Hybrid Technology

    It was back in 2018 that we told you about Honda wanting to get into the EV space in India. The electric car which will be launched in India will be one of the company’s global models which will be produced after 2019 after the Japanese carmaker rolls out its electric plan for a wide set of market. The vehicle that will make its way to India could be a ‘B’ segment vehicle the development of which is under process for the Indian Market. But this EV strategy will only pan out until 2023-24. Meanwhile, however, the focus will be on a gradual shift towards EV, which is why hybrid technology will find its way into Honda Car India’s line-up of cars. Honda is also looking to localize the production of hybrid and EV solutions in India in a bid to ensure that it is accessible and affordable for the buyers.

    According to a statement made to PTI by Senior Vice President and Director Rajesh Goel, Honda Cars India, “Till such time and also till the development of suitable charging infrastructure in the country, we feel that hybrid vehicles can be considered as good intermediate technology in electrification initiatives. Accordingly, we will begin our electrification journey in two years with hybrid technology.”

    Currently, the company only has the Accord hybrid in its portfolio and it attracts 28 percent rate with a cess of 15 percent taking its price to over ₹ 43 lakh (ex-showroom). As per its Vision 2030, the company strives to electrify two-thirds of its global automobile unit sales in 2030 with its range of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEVs), battery electric vehicle (BEVs) and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs)
  • H&M Expanding into home decor in India

    H&M Expanding into home decor in India

    H&M India is seeking to enter the country’s home decor and furnishings market.

    The market entry will see the firm competing with Ikea as well as local retailers under its H&M Home brand.

    “We are looking at the home segment and it will be decoration products and not furniture, said H&M India CEO Janne Einola. “There are not many players in that category and the product range doesn’t change for years. In the organised sector, our strength will be the latest assortment.”

    Internationally, H&M Home trades predominantly in shop-in-shop formats, with only eight standalone stores out of 370 locations in roughly 50 countries.

    H&M India has achieved considerable success after three years in the country, currently holding second place in the apparel market behind Zara.

  • Tesla Reduces Prices On Model S and X Amid Stock Slump

    Tesla Reduces Prices On Model S and X Amid Stock Slump

    Faced with a slumping stock price and questions about demand for its vehicles, Tesla has lowered the U.S. base prices of its two most expensive models. The company on Monday cut $3,000 from the price of the Model S sedan and $2,000 from the Model X SUV. Tesla said in a statement that it periodically adjusts prices and available options like other car companies. The decreases offset price increases from a month ago when Tesla offered longer battery range and added a new drive system and suspension. The statement didn’t say if slowing sales influenced the decision.

    The Model S now starts at $71,250 while the X starts at $71,950. Both prices don’t include federal and state tax credits.

    The moves come as Tesla’s stock is under pressure and has at times dropped below $200 per share. Several analysts have questioned whether the company can sell enough cars to cover its expenses without dipping into cash reserves.

    Shares traded Tuesday afternoon at $205.62, up slightly from Monday’s closing price. They are down more than 38 percent so far this year, cutting the company’s market value more than $20 billion to $36.5 billion. On Monday the shares hit their lowest point since late 2016.

    Tesla said in a statement that the reductions are about 2% to 3% on the S and X. The company last week raised the price of its top-selling Model 3 by $400, pushing the base price to $35,400. “By any reasonable standard, these small changes are not newsworthy,” the company said in a statement.

    On Monday Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives wrote in a client note that he has concerns about Tesla’s growth prospects and underlying demand for the Model 3 during the coming quarters.

    Ives called Tesla a “code red” situation. “We have continued concerns around Tesla’s ability to balance this ‘perfect storm’ of softer demand and profitability concerns, which will weigh on shares until Musk & Co. prove otherwise in terms of delivering solid results over the coming quarters,” Ives wrote, referring to CEO Elon Musk.

    Palo Alto, California-based Tesla said last month it lost $702.1 million in the first quarter, among its worst quarters in two years. Sales tumbled 31% in the period. Musk predicted another loss in the second quarter but said Tesla would be profitable again by the third quarter.

    In January, the automaker cut its prices by $2,000 per vehicle, acknowledging that the pending expiration of a $7,500 federal tax credit for its electric cars will hurt sales. The credit is gradually being phased out for Tesla by the end of the year.

  • Bharti Infratel-Indus Towers merger due to close in June

    Bharti Infratel-Indus Towers merger due to close in June

    The mega-merger between Indian operator Bharti Airtel’s infrastructure company Bharti Infratel and independent tower company Indus Towers is reportedly now expected to close in June.

    The planned merger, which has been in the making for around a year, is at an advanced stage of completion, according to the prospective parent companies of the merged company Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Group.

    In a stock exchange filing, the companies also announced that they have proposed to appoint current Indus Towers CEO Bimal Dayal and CFO Hemant Ruia to the posts of CEO and CFO respectively of the combined company.

    Merging Bharti Infratel with Indus Towers will create a pan-India tower company with over 163,000 towers in operation and a valuation of around $10 billion.

    The combined company will continue to serve Indian operators on a non-discriminatory basis and help support the expansion of 4G and 5G wireless broadband services across India.

    Indus Towers was established in 2007 as a joint venture between Bharti Airtel and what is now Vodafone Idea. Prior to the in-progress merger, the company was around 53% owned by Vodafone Idea, 42% owned by Bharti Infratel and 5% owned by Providence Equity Partners.

    “The Shareholder groups look forward to early completion of the merger and move towards successful integration,” the joint statement reads.

  • Danish fashion label Hummel Opening in India

    Danish fashion label Hummel Opening in India

    Hummel India has signed up a Bollywood actor to help promote its launch in the country.

    Kartik Aaryan, described by one local media outlet as “the nation’s heartthrob and nation’s crush” has been appointed Hummel’s chief ambassador in India for the Danish sportswear label.

    Founded in 1932, Hummel produces clothing ranging from swimwear to casual streetwear and sneakers. It has already opened five stores in India and plans another 10 by the end of the financial year.

    The first five stores are franchised and have opened in Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Surat and Amritsar.

    Aaryan made his debut for the brand at a recent launch event in Bangalore.

    “In Hummel, I see a perfect fit. Hummel appeals to my style sensibilities, it is bold, fashionable, creative and youthful,” the actor told the audience.

    “I am excited that Hummel has entered the retail space and I am sure that the Indian audience will love the designs that Hummel has brought to India.”

    Soumava Naskar, MD of Hummel India, says the brand’s merchandise was available on Jabong and Myntra in 2016 but the company stopped selling directly to both the platforms in 2017 because it had no pricing control.

    “Three months ago, we listed our merchandise on Amazon and Flipkart via our partner ND Commerce, which manages our online stores and handles pricing control too. Which means, if customers receive discounts on our end-of-season products on Amazon or Flipkart, they will receive the same discounts in our physical stores as well. This is our first promise to Indian customers.”

    Hummel, owned by Thornico Group, is currently sold in more than 35 countries. It has more than 250 mono-brand stores and expects to achieve US$1.5 billion in turnover this calendar year.

  • Tata Intra Compact Truck Launched

    Tata Intra Compact Truck Launched

    Tata Intra, the all-new small commercial vehicle (SCV) from Tata Motors today officially went on sale in India. The new compact trucks will be available in two variants – V10 and V20, priced at ₹ 5.35 lakh and  ₹ 5.85 lakh (ex-showroom India) respectively. The new Tata Intra compact truck is a premium offering and will be positioned in India above the company’s existing range of Ace mini trucks, which will also continue to be on sale. Compared to the Tata Ace, the new Intra SCV comes with a host of first-in-segment features to justify the premium price tag.

    Tata says that the new Intra is targeted towards customers who are looking for a commercial vehicle that can be both, a workhorse as well as a stylish and comfortable personal vehicle. Someone who is looking to upgrade from the Tata Ace. Thus, you’ll see that the new Tata Intra comes with a bunch of passenger car-like elements both outside as well as inside. The exterior bit includes – a large front grille with a chrome slat flanked by a set of nice-looking clear glass headlamps with halogen lights and integrated turn indicators. The Intra also gets a bold and busy-looking bumper with a wide central air dam and provision to install fog lamps. The new compact truck runs on a set of 14-inch steel wheels with the option of smart-looking dual tone wheel covers, which are truly good-looking and well-designed. The vehicle also gets large manually operable ORVMs and dual wipers, which in addition to these subtle character lines, add to the style quotient of the Intra.

    The Tata Intra also comes with a well-laid-out cabin, featuring a neat dashboard that comes with contrast bezels around the center console and air-con vents. Furthermore, because the gear lever is positioned on the dashboard, resulting in a flat walk-through-floor. Other features include a charging socket, lockable glovebox, a standard music system with Radio, AUX-IN and USB connectivity, and a fully digital instrument cluster, offering read-outs for speedometer, odometer, time, fuel gauge, and a segment-first gear shift indicator, or as Tata calls it Gear Shift Advisor (GSA).

    In terms of dimensions, the new Tata Intra is at par with the larger Tata Ace on offer, the Ace Mega XL, with a total length of 4316 mm, a width of 1639 mm and a height of 1918 mm. Having said that, the Intra does come with one of the largest loading bay areas in the segment, with a 2512 mm long load deck that is 1602 mm wide and comes with a standard depth of 463 mm. In fact, the Intra also comes with a segment-best payload capacity of 1100 kg, 100 kg more than what the Ace Mega XL offers. In fact, the vehicle also offers best-in-class gradeability of 45 percent for easily negotiating steep hilly roads & flyovers, compared to the Ace’s 30 percent gradeability. Furthermore, the Intra also gets semi-elliptical leaf spring suspension setup with 6 leaves at front and 7 leaves at the rear, offering heavy duty performance.

    The new Tata Intra V20 is powered by a brand new 1.4-litre Direct Injection (DI) diesel engine. The new 1396 cc engine is tuned to churn out 69 bhp at 4000 rpm and develop a peak torque of 140 Nm at 1800-3000 rpm. The engine comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox with cable shift mechanism. The Tata Intra V10 is powered by an 800 cc, two-cylinder motor which develops 39 bhp at 3750 rpm and 90 Nm at 1750 – 2500 rpm and is mated to a four-speed gearbox. In terms of rivals, the new Tata Intra has been designed to compete with both, the LCVs like the Piaggio Porter 1000 and Mahindra Supro, and the pickup trucks like the Mahindra Bolero Pickup.

  • DoT aims to issue trial 5G spectrum in June

    DoT aims to issue trial 5G spectrum in June

    India’s Department of Telecom has reportedly put facilitating 5G technology trials at the top of the agenda within its 100-day action plan for whichever party wins the upcoming Lok Sabha (lower house) elections.

    The allocation of 5G trial licenses could take place as soon as the new government takes over, which could be in June.

    The 100-day action plan also includes developing policy on trial spectrum and technology testing, standardization, regulatory policy and the establishment of use case labs, the report states.

    Areas of focus include simplifying the process of obtaining experimental licenses as well as approvals for experimental products and services.

    Depending on their readiness, operators could commence 5G network trials in June. The telecom ministry has recommended that the trial run for a three month period, with options to expand this to up to a year if operators need more time to prepare.

    Samsung, Nokia and Ericsson have been approved to participate in the trials with incumbent operators Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. The government has not yet decided whether to allow the participation of Chinese vendors including Huawei.

  • Taco Bell India eyes 600 store Openings

    Taco Bell India eyes 600 store Openings

    Taco Bell India plans to expand to more than 600 stores before sub-licensing to local operators.

    The US-headquartered QSR chain has appointed its existing local partner since 2015 Burman Hospitality,  as master franchise holder for the country.

    Following nine years in the territory, the brand now seeks to open 600 locations in India within 10 years, a target that if achieved will make India Taco’s largest foreign market, reflecting the popularity of its menu in the region extending beyond its parent company’s core offerings of its sister brands’ chicken, burgers and pizzas.

    The appointment makes Burman the largest Taco Bell franchise globally in terms of store count. “If you look at chicken and pizza, they are two very familiar categories to the consumer and that helped both KFC and Pizza Hut with their explosive growth, not only in India, but all over the world,” said Taco Bell International president Liz Williams. “The Mexican category is a relatively new category for consumers and I think the Indian consumer has shown us they are ready for it.”

    Research conducted last year showed that the vast majority of food ordered in the Indian territory is North Indian, followed by Chinese and South Indian. The market for other cuisines is shown to be expanding.

    Burman is currently seeking to keep tight control over store launches before seeking sub-franchisees and then expanding into new formats such as food court kiosks.

  • Replay opens first Denim store in India

    Replay opens first Denim store in India

    Italian denim brand Replay has opened its first store in India.

    The new store has been launched in the capital in a partnership with Reliance Brands. The large retail outlet in Ambience Mall, it focuses on the brand’s core elements using signature design features in store.

    “I am confident that our constant striving to deliver qualitative and innovative products will be in line with the consumers’ appetite for the highest standards in denim,” said Fashion Box Spa CEO Matteo Sinigaglia. “Furthermore, it is a real pleasure to join forces with Reliance Brands Limited, and I truly believe we are starting a wonderful journey together.”

    Replay is planning to launch three stores in Mumbai and New Delhi as well as a flagship store in Maker Maxity, Mumbai later this year.

    The store will offer denim wear, casual wear, footwear, and accessories.

  • Hyundai India Ties Up With ALD Automotive India

    Hyundai India Ties Up With ALD Automotive India

    Hyundai Motor India has announced a collaboration with ALD Automotive India to provide its cars on lease. Hyundai aims to make car owning experience more economical and is targeting to provide its cars on lease to salaried individuals, working professionals, small and medium enterprises, corporates and public sector. In the first phase, the Korean carmaker has started its operations in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.

    Speaking on the Hyundai’s lease offering S.J. Ha, Executive Director, Sales &Marketing, Hyundai Motor India said, “Indian automotive industry is at the cusp of transformation. As a smart mobility solutions provider, we at Hyundai understand the needs of our evolving customers and are committed to making ‘Shared Mobility’ accessible. The vehicle leasing business is rapidly picking pace in India and offers great prospects. We are extremely happy with our collaboration with ALD Automotive and together we will leverage our strengths to create Unique, Smart and Brilliant ownership experience for our customers.”

    Commenting on the same development, Suvajit Karmakar, Chief Executive Officer & Whole-time Director, ALD Automotive India said, “We are extremely proud and excited to announce this partnership with Hyundai. I am confident that this association will make us explore newer product and service offerings and take Car Leasing to the next level in the Indian car market. This will further reinforce our position as a leader and we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with Hyundai.”

    Hyundai will provide its entire product line-up on monthly lease rent. The benefits of leasing to the customers include no upfront cost, no financial risk, efficient tax management, easy upgrade and no maintenance and insurance hassles. The leased vehicle will be available for a minimum period of two years going up to five years depending on the city and model.

  • India’s handset market slumps 25% in Q1

    India’s handset market slumps 25% in Q1

    India’s mobile device market slumped 25% year-on-year during the first quarter of 2019 due to a collapse in the feature phone segment, according to CyberMedia Research (CMR).

    The research firm estimates that feature phone shipments shrank by around 49% during the quarter, while smartphone shipments grew by 10%.

    4G-enabled handsets represented 66% of total devices shipped during the quarter, with 2G-only devices accounting for the remainder.

    “The overall market decline was on expected lines for Q1 2019. The above industry average stock build-up at the end of the previous quarter resulted in lower shipments. Also, the recent change in eCommerce rules in India impacted the online dependent players,” CMR Industry Intelligence Group lead analyst Narinder Kumar said.

    Samsung led the overall mobile market during the quarter with a 22% market share, but China’s Xiaomi led the smartphone market with a 30% share to Samsung’s 27%. Xiaomi also continued to rule the low-cost segment for devices below 7,000 rupees with a 41% market share, while Samsung topped the mid-range 7,000 rupees to 25,000 rupee segment.

    The top five leaderboards was rounded out by LYF (13% market share), Vivo (6%) and Lava (6%).