Acer Teams Up with Indkal to Launch ‘Make in India’ Smartphones, Enters Booming Indian Market

Indkal Technologies has signed a licensing deal with Acer, paving the way for the Taiwanese electronics major to enter India’s smartphone market. “This strategic deal marks the introduction of Acer-branded smartphones into the Indian market,” Indkal said in a joint statement on Thursday.

Launch Plans

Indkal will launch a wide range of made-in-India smartphone models under the Acer brand in mid-2024, expecting to corner a “significant market share.”

Product Specifications and Availability

The Acer-branded smartphones are likely to be priced between ₹15,000 to ₹50,000 and will come with robust specifications, cutting-edge hardware, and advanced software technologies, Indkal said. These devices will be available for purchase through both e-commerce platforms and offline retail stores across the country.

“We are excited that Indkal Technologies will further this mission in India by providing a wide range of smartphones under the Acer brand that expand end-user choices and enrich their experience in the India market,” Jade Zhou, VP of Global Strategic Alliances at Acer, said in the statement.

Analysts’ Perspective

Analysts said Acer’s entry into the Indian smartphone market is strategic for the brand and may make a dent, but its sustainability, particularly in the long run, is questionable given that it has negligible experience operating in this segment.

“Acer has traditionally enjoyed a strong brand salience in the India PC market. Entering the smartphone market would be strategic for Acer, particularly in the value-for-money smartphone segment (priced between ₹7,000 to ₹25,000),” said Amit Sharma, senior analyst-Industry Intelligence Group, CyberMedia Research.