Low cost smartphone makers coming to AP

Low Cost Smartphone maker, Datawind which is producing the Central government’s low priced Akash tablets is all set to start a manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh. Datawind is originally based in Canada and operated out of China until now. They are planning to set up manufacturing facilities in Amritsar, Central India and Andhra Pradesh as a part of Make in India campaign.

These three plants when operated at their full capacity will be producing 50 lakh handsets per annum. The company is likely to submit a detailed proposal to the state government in the coming weeks. This decision is taken after Modi government doubled the duty of a finished imported phone.

And now all the Smart phone makers are planning to bring parts to the country duty free and get them assembled or manufactured here. Datawind has 50 to 55 per cent market share in the entry level tablets — that costs less than Rs 5,000- market in the country.