The Hindu Business Line : Intel gears up for launch of `Classmate PCs'

Coimbatore June 14 Intel is gearing up for the launch of the Classmate PC or laptop, expected to cost around Rs 10,000-12,000 and aimed mainly at the educational segment, as part of its `World Ahead Programme.' The process of product customisation is on, according to Mr B. Suryanarayanan, Director (Sales & Marketing Group), Intel India.

He said that while Intel was looking at the issue of establishing a manufacturing facility in the country, he did not anticipate any immediate decision.

Speaking to newspersons, he said the company was working with its OEM partners for the launch of the Classmate PC in the form of laptops. (The company brochure describes it as a "mobile learning-assistant educational solution" that Intel developed specially for students in emerging markets.)

It wants to train them and know whether they would be customising any product and would be adding any value to it.

The process that precedes a product launch to familiarise different segments involved to assess their comfort level is now on. The launch would depend on the results obtained during the pilot stage.

Sales volume

On the volume of sales expected, Mr Suryanarayanan said that Intel's idea was to get this product "into a lot of these emerging markets" so that people know how to use it.

For instance, in Pakistan it is expected to notch up sales of 750,000 units in 2-3 years. Since the product is aimed at the educational segment, it does not have the upgrade option.

He said that Intel was keen to reach out to customers in the smaller centres. In Tamil Nadu, of 4,000 channel partners nearly 2,500 are in smaller centres and the company wants to understand the needs of the customers in these centres.

This is imperative because in smaller towns, the local players have greater flexibility in terms of supply of customised machines.

There is an ongoing discussion with the Government regarding manufacturing.

In the past, the company has seen 30 per cent growth annually and he expects this growth rate to continue in the future as well.

The company plans to cover the market adequately in places down South like Madurai and Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu and increase the post-sale support infrastructure.

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