Indian Laptop
Even though the micro computing industry is active from early 80’s in the developed countries ,it hit our market only by early 90’s.We has to wait till end of 90’s to see the computer as a common gadget uses by normal business and home. So it is quite obvious that the portable computing segment was also a latecomer in our market.
Initially the use of portable computer was limited to an expensive ego booster that catch the eye and help to make an impression in a business meeting.. The real portable computing applications as it is used in the western countries was not applicable to Indian scenario. We cant expected to use our expensive laptops in busy metro rails , trams or buses. It was really prone to all kind of environmental tortures including heat , dust and humidity. Because of this these gadgets never left the comfort of their owners desktop and really did not serve the job of a portable computer.
The major fact that refrained a typical computer user from the laptop machines was the cost. In late 1990’s a typical IBM ThinkPad will cost more that 150 thousand Rupees and a desktop with similar configuration cost around 40 thousand.
So majority of Indian users stay loyal to their desktops and did not show much interest in the laptop segment. The situation changed as the price came down and when laptops are available at sub- 50k price segment.
The popularity of laptops in India is mainly attributed the new segments of IT related workers who telecommute a lot wish to extend their job to the non-business hours too.
the main segment that suffered from these revolution is a the small scale system integrators operating in small towns throughout the country . 100 % of the laptop industry is branded and there is no scope for a typical system assembler to compete against it. Naturally this segment was not happy with the new trend of invation of laptop into the desktop market and resisted this trend to some extend for their customer.
After the introduction of sub 30,000 laptops in to the industry , laptop sales gain momentum and an average customer was attracted to this segment. Now it is estimated that the share of laptop is one third of the whole segment.
Now with, laptop price is competitive to the price of a desktop with a TFT monitor it is all set to start a laptop revolution in India.
Slowly the laptops emerged as a serious business equipment which is indispensable to a working professional.
The main hindrance yet was the lack of proper connectivity, but the boom of broadband connectivity and wi-fi support added the popularity of laptop systems in India.
