Motorola Xooms into Indian tablet market

After the launch of PlayBook and Flyer this month, Motorola Mobility India has entered the burgeoning "tablet" space in India with the introduction of its "Xoom" device, priced at Rs 32,990 onward.

A tablet PC, though smaller in size, has PC-like functionalities.

The Xoom, based on an Android platform, has a 10.1-inch HD display, 1-GHz dual-core processor, a five-megapixel (MP) rear-facing camera and a 2-MP front-facing camera.

The device is available in two variants -- Wi-Fi (Rs32,990) and 3G (Rs 39,990).

"Motorola XOOM is redefining the tablet experience by preempting the future mobile experience today... Motorola Xoom will delight customers with its ease of use, speed and vivid graphics," Motorola Mobility Mobile Devices Business Country Head for Sales and Operations (India and South West Asia) Rajan Chawla said.

Xoom's competitors in India include the Apple iPad, Samsung's Galaxy Tab, Blackberry Playbook, HTC Flyer and the soon-to-be launched Huawei MediaPad. Companies are very excited about tablets in the country
and this month alone, Research in Motion has launched its PlayBook, while HTC has introduced its Flyer (Rs 39,890) in the Indian market.

Blackberry launched its Playbook last week priced at Rs 27,990 (16 GB), Rs 32,990 (32 GB) and Rs 37,990 (64 GB). The Apple iPad (priced at about Rs 29,500) and Samung Galaxy Tab (about Rs 26,000) are already available here.

Since the launch of Apple's iPad, the tablet market is witnessing huge competition, with new contenders launching their devices. Apple's rival in the computing space, Dell had launched the "Streak" in India last year, while homegrown telecom handset makers like Spice and Olive have also launched
similar devices at much lower price points.

According to analysts, sales in the tablet PC segment in India are expected to touch one million units over the next 12 months. 3G (high-speed internet services) roll out has also helped in expanding the opportunity, they said.