Ever since Micromax hinted about a comeback earlier this year, a huge section of Indian smartphone users has been eagerly waiting for the official announcement. The nationalist sentiment has been on such a high that some even deferred their next smartphone purchase.
Riding on the same sentiments, Micromax’s co-founder Rahul Sharma announced the new “In” lineup of phones and the reincarnation of Micromax brand, that once had a dominant say in the domestic smartphone market.
The company is tipped to launch two different smartphones early next month. Reports suggest that this launch could happen on November 2 and Micromax could unveil not one but two phones during this launch.
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Second time lucky?
First on the list is “Micromax In 1a” which is expected to come with a MediaTek Helio G35 processor. The phone may come in two-different variants first one could be a 2 GB of RAM and 32GB storage variant while the one could come with 3GB RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. It is expected to come with a 6.5-inch HD+ display and 5,000mAh battery.
In terms of optics, both the variants are rumoured to come with the different camera setup. The 2GB/32GB variant could come with a dual-camera setup with a 13-megapixel primary sensor and 2-megapixel secondary lens with an 8-megapixel selfie camera. The 3GB RAM variant may house a triple rear camera setup with a 13-megapixel primary sensor, a 5-megapixel secondary sensor, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. You may also get a 13-megapixel selfie camera on this variant.
To keep things simple on the UI part, Micromax is expected to go with stock Android out of the box on these phones and there could be a 5000 mAh battery to power the device.
Additionally, there is one more smartphone that seems to be in the works and it is expected to carry an Helio G85 chipset. Not much is known about this smartphone yet, however, do stay tuned as we try to bring in the latest information around the upcoming smartphones. If reports are to be believed, these devices could be launched at a price range of Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 15,000.
Market scenario then vs now
In any case, the second innings by Micromax may not be as easy as the first one was. Their main competitor Xiaomi is now leading the smartphone game in India while Oppo has upped the ante with the introduction of Realme. Though this impacted the numbers of the South Korean brand Samsung, however, it came back strong with its M series phones.
Hence, Micromax will have its task cut out here and it will also need to offer value to the end-user who’s not only smart but is also more aware of the market dynamics and has questions in its mind around the intention and after-sale support which wasn't the strongest aspect of Micromax's strategy earlier as well.
You can easily find prospective buyers now asking, “Where will Micromax, that is looking to target the nationalist-sentiment, get its devices or components from?” – A dreaded question which only time will answer.
