Intex to launch 20 smartphones in 3 months

MUMBAI: Intex Technologies today said it expects to sell 20 lakh smartphones this fiscal as it expands its portfolio by launching 20 new devices in the next quarter. 

"The smartphone penetration is growing and is encouraging for handset companies like us to innovate and bring offerings that combine latest technologies and features at affordable prices," Intex Technologies GM (mobility division) Sanjay Kumar Kalirona said. 

The IT hardware maker aims to "sell two million Aqua smartphones in 2013-14." 

"We launched our smartphone range in September last year and have seen very good response. Last month, we sold seven lakh handsets of which, Aqua contributed over one lakh," he said. 

Intex has launched 12 mid-segment smartphones under the Aqua range and plans to launch 20 more during the next quarter, Kalirona added. 

The company today launched a new smartphone -- Aqua I5, priced at Rs 11,690. Powered by 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, the phone comes with five-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) operating system. 

It also sports a 12MP rear auto focus camera with flash light and 2MP front camera. It supports 3G video calling and has a 4GB in-built (expandable up to 32GB). 

The company will also promote the device through a television commercial, which will feature actor-director Farhan Akhtar, whom the company has recently signed as brand ambassador for its mobility division. 

According to CyberMedia Research (CMR), more than 221 million handsets were shipped to India in 2012. 

Though smartphones comprised a small chunk of the overall handset market at about 7%, the high-end category grew at a robust 35.7% to 15.2 million devices in 2012 from 11.2 million units in 2011.

Samsung was the category leader, followed by Nokia (13.3%) and Sony (8.2%), CMR said.