<div>If television companies can become leading phone manufacturers, then phone makers can move up screen sizes and aspire for a big share of the television market too.</div><div> </div><div>Micromax, which took the mobile handset and tablet market by storm over the past few years, on 9 October announced its entry into the competitive TV category. It unveiled a full range of LED, 3D and Smart TVs at a glitzy Bollywood style launch in Delhi, with actress Genelia D'Souza doing the honours.</div><div> </div><div>"We wanted to be known as a screen company - not a phone company - and from phones to tablets to television, it's a natural progression," said Rajesh Agarwal, managing director, Micromax. Smartly timing their entry into the segment just before the onset of the festive shopping season, Micromax's officials said they were hoping to grab an 8 per cent market share in the category in two years time.</div><div> </div><div>What Micromax is looking to do is create a niche for the TV in a home, where it is not just a device for seeing programmes broadcast, but as a connected device. Says Mukesh Gupta, director, Microamx: “The TV will be a totally networked device.” That could well be the future of TV in the country.</div><div> </div><div>Meanwhile, the company has already made a mark in the tablet market. According to Agarwal, Micromax controls 18.4 per cent of the Indian tablet market.</div><div> </div><div>The LED TVs range from 24” to 55” (all six models feature HDMI) and are available in the price range of Rs 15,990 and 1,29,990. The TVs support all video resolutions.</div><div> </div><div>Micromax has also introduced a new range of home theatre systems with 5.1 surround sound speakers, a 3D Blu Ray Player, which support both 2D and 3D content and an Android dongle-Micromax SMART stick.</div><div> </div><div>Micromax SMART Stick — a dongle with Android 4.0.3 (Ice cream Sandwich, priced at Rs 4,990) — will convert a normal TV into an Android TV. It offers of 1.0 GHz offers 3D graphic with OpenGL ES2.0 and OpenVG 1.1. It has a Standard HDMI interface, internal 4 GB Nand Flash, wi-fi direct connection and USB HUB with additional support of RF 2.4 HGz mouse, keyboard and game pad.</div><div> </div><div>The company has invested Rs 100 crore and expects revenues of Rs 225 crore from the new LED TV segment in the 2012-2013.</div><div> </div><div>Micromax has set up a one-lakh square feet manufacturing facility spread over 5 acres at Rudrapur in Uttrakhand. It has a production capacity of 2,000 LED TV units per day.</div><div> </div><div>The company is targeting 8 per cent market share and plans to invest Rs 100 crore in the segment over the next three years.</div><div> </div><div>The firm plans to introduce the offerings initially in 9 key states -- Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat. It will deploy a two-tier distribution channel to reach out to 170 cities and build a strong consumer connect.</div>
