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Simmtronics to launch first Made in India Android device

There's a common misconception among Indian consumers who think local devices from companies such as Karbonn, Lava, Micromax, or Onida, are actually Indian phones when, in fact, they're not.
Written by Nitin Puri, Contributor

Indians commonly associate local devices from companies such as Karbonn, Lava, Micromax, or Onida, as Indian phones when, in fact, they're not. 

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Technically, these devices are not Indian as the components come fabricated from abroad, primarily China. They are then assembled and sold domestically but, in essence, they're not really Made in India. 

Well, Simmtronic plans to change all of that very soon with the launch of its first fully Indian manufactured Android device from the company's factory in New Delhi. In terms of hardware and software, it will be similar to other devices from the other Indian brands, but it will be the first one that is really Made in India--100 percent from start to finish, reports The Times of India. The only parts that would still be imported from China or Taiwan are the chips, but the circuit boards and main boards will be made locally at Simmtronic's New Delhi factory.

By manufacturing devices in India, the company saves about 6 percent in import duties, compared to importing them from China. The difference obviously should then be passed on to the consumer who can purchase the devices at even lower prices, and trust me, they've gone quite low in the past.

However, because of the weak Indian rupee at the moment, the prices for devices have slowly increased and companies are scaling back on their promotional tradein with 0 percent EMI (equated monthly instalment) offers. It's a money losing scheme for all involved.

Simmtronics has made tablets for other companies in the past, before deciding to enter the market on its own selling its tablets under the XPad brand. The manufacturer also exports to countries in the Middle East and Africa.

Until today, I've never heard of Simmtronics. I look forward to seeing its devices in shopping malls or local bazaars in the near future. But at the same token, it also isn't the only small company to come from nowhere and begin manufacturing and selling mobile devices.  

There is another popular computer accessory company in India, called Intex, specializing in accessories such as keyboards and speakers. The company now has begun selling mobile devices in India and judging from its commercials, these devices look sleek. However, I've yet to actually see one of Intex's devices in store shelves.

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