Flipkart launches 7-inch calling tablet for Rs 9,999

After e-commerce, Flipkart has jumped into the fiercely competitive smart device market in India by launching its calling tablet for Rs 9,999.

The seven-inch tablet branded Digiflip Pro is expected to help the domestic online marketplace increase revenue and expand its presence in the multi-billion dollar electronics business.

Bangalore-based Flipkart already sells headphones, speakers and pen drives under its DigiFlip range.

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"We are the first e-commerce marketplace in India to launch our own device through Digiflip Pro. With this, we have taken another step in our goal towards building an entire e-commerce ecosystem in India," Flipkart VP Retail and Head (Brand Alliances) Michael Adnani said.

According to industry body MAIT, the tablet market in India grew at a "muted" 76 per cent in 2013-14 compared with triple-digit growth over the previous two years.

Companies such as Samsung, Micromax, Apple and Datawind sold about 3.35 million tablets in 2013-14.

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Industry watchers expect growth to ease further as customers prefer smartphones with bigger screen sizes.

Amazon, the world's biggest online retailer, launched its Fire Phone last week, becoming the first to enter the smart device segment.

The Digiflip Pro XT 712 is available in black and white variants, has dual SIM, a 1.3 GHz quad core Cortex A7 processor coupled with 1 GB DDR3 RAM and 3G calling feature. 

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The retailer will offer shopping benefits worth over Rs 5,000 and free eBooks worth more than Rs 2,000 while using the Flipkart mobile app that is pre-installed on the tablet.

"Our research on what Flipkart users expect for their tablet shows that consumers are looking at an ultimate device experience at an affordable price," Flipkart Director Retail (Tablets) Pradeep Dodle told PTI.

He said added there are "almost no good tablet brands" in the Rs 10,000-category (entry-level), while those with features that customers look for are priced higher.

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Asked if Flipkart was late entering the tablet market, Dodle said the segment is currently "evolving", with players offering various features at multiple price points but it will regain momentum soon as the market consolidates.

"Earlier, there were some 150-odd tablet brands, but after the BIS certification mandate, around 30 brands are left. We feel this year will be a defining year for tablets and next year on, good growth should come in," he added.

Dodle said the after-sales service for the device will be handled through a network of over 120 centres in more than 100 cities.