Asus has been a well-known name in the laptop market in India for quite some time now. The company sells slim and powerful laptops that come in various shades and sizes. While the PC maker has its ZenBook models to deliver a premium experience, it also has ROG and TUF laptops for gamers and VivoBook for customers looking for affordable options for their computing needs. Asus also offers a distinct range of form factors – from traditional-looking laptops to 2-in-1 models. We are looking at the plans for the Indian market.
On this week’s episode of Gadgets 360 podcast Orbital, host Akhil Arora joins Executive Editor Jamshed Avari to talk with Arnold Su, Business Head of System Business Group for Consumer and Gaming PC at Asus India, about how the Taiwanese giant does its business in the country and what it all plans to bring to market in the coming future.
Su tells us that for Asus, India has grown much faster than other markets around the world, despite challenges since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020. He emphasizes that growth has been seen in all major segments, including gaming, thin-and– light and 2-in-1 form factors.
In 2019, the 2-in-1 segment made up just four to five percent of the entire Indian PC market but it will grew by more than 10 percent by 2021, the board noted.
Contrary to the growth of segments including the gaming and 2-in-1 form factors, Asus’ affordable laptops in India have not received a significant response from consumers.
Su says only 15 to 20 percent of consumers choose sub-Rs. Forty thousand models in the country. However, Asus is also trying to meet the demand for affordable laptops.
“What Asus is trying to do is we know that if you want to go for the latest technology, you might have to go for the flagship model, but it’s not easy for most people to afford the flats. “So we’re trying to bring those features to the mainstream or even entry-level segment and let people experience the latest technology here as well.”
As for what new models Asus plans to bring to India, Su says the ROG Flow Z13 and ZenBook 14X OLED Space Edition launched at CES 2022 will soon be among the new offerings in the country.
Asus ZenBook 14X OLED Space Edition First Impressions: ‘Mir’ Than Meets the Eye
He also points to the potential of exploring the foldable laptop market with the ZenBook 17 Fold. The laptop was launched worldwide at this year’s CES. It has a 17.3-inch screen that can be folded into a 12.5-inch screen.
“This is our commitment to Indian customers,” notes Su. “Whatever we launch globally, we will bring it to India, and this has been happening for the past few years.”
In addition to revealing the launch plans, Su talks about how smartphones have become a challenge for the PC market. We also discuss how Asus is being received as a brand in India.
You can listen to all this and more by hitting the Spotify player’s play button.
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