own at least one smart phone or tablet, and almost half plan to purchase more
devices in the next year.
The availability of low-cost smart phones and tablets has
stimulated demand among India SMBs. Also, the launch of competitively priced 3G
data plans has also ignited the uptake.
The India government has proactively driven the launch
of Aakash, an Android-based tablet computer originally projected as
the $35 computer (the price for which has since gone up slightly). Also
driving this demand are various other devices from both PC and telecom vendors
priced to range between the Aakash and Apple’s iPad (considered to be the
best-known and most expensive tablet in the market),” said Neha Jalan,
Mumbai-based senior associate at AMI-Partners.
Over half of SMBs would consider replacing their desk
phones with smart phones, thereby providing advanced calling features to
remote/mobile employees, as Smart phones have become an issue of strategic importance
to the majority of India SMBs.
AMI said that primary users of smart phones and tablets
tend to be owners/senior management who are frequently traveling and therefore
rely on these devices for basic applications such as email, contact and calendar
information in order to be continuously connected.
Indian telcos are ready to increase average revenues per
user (ARPU) as cost-conscious SMBs move to higher-usage data plans and increase
purchases of smart phone applications offered by these vendors.
