China’s TCL Chooses India Road For Growth

Huizhou: Chinese multinational electronic company TCL Corporation expects to generate a revenue o $100 million (Rs 665 crore) from India in a year from now as it makes the South Asian country its hub for global smartphone launches.

TCL is also evaluating manufacturing phones locally, either on its own or through contract manufacturers, once it achieves optimum volumes.  The multinational company, which is the world’s 10th largest smartphone maker as per Gartner data ending March, aims to become number three online smartphone vendor in the fastest-growing smartphone market in the world by 2018.

On Monday, TCL launched its first mobile phone under its own brand, TCL 560, priced at Rs 7999, which will be available exclusively on Amazon. Future devices will be priced between Rs 7,999 and Rs 17,999. TCL India Regional Director, “We will launch three more 4G phones this year, including one with virtual reality, along with a VR headset manufactured by TCL, around Diwali, which will also have exclusive content.” “Next year, we will launch IoT (Internet of Things) products including wearables, but we will remain an online-only brand,” he added.

Parent company TCL Communications Ltd operates two brands — Alcatel Onetouch and TCL — worldwide. While Alcatel Onetouch is associated with only phones, TCL has a wider portfolio of products including phones, televisions, washing machines and refrigerators in China, the Americas, Europe and Africa. Alcatel Onetouch phones have been available in India for the past few years, although they have very little presence. The company is also evaluating the launch of smart connected products such as televisions, besides wearables, in India in the long term to enhance its business portfolio. TCL enters a competitive and crowded Indian smartphone market, with the intention of making a mark, specifically in online retailing.