Nokia-Flipkart to launch smart TVs

New Delhi, Nov. 6: After Motorola, Nokia has now partnered e-commerce major Flipkart for launching smart TVs in the Indian market, marking the smartphone maker’s foray into consumer durables space.

Flipkart has entered into a strategic relationship with Nokia that grants it the use of the Nokia brand for smart TVs in India, a global first for the brand in the TV category, a statement said on Wednesday.

“Flipkart will leverage its understanding of the needs of Indian consumers to develop, facilitate the manufacturing and distribution of the Nokia branded smart TVs, while managing the end-to-end go-to-market strategy,” it added.

The companies, however, didn’t give any information about product specifications, pricing and launch date.

A number of phone companies have now added smart TVs to their product portfolio. These include players such as Samsung, Micromax, Intex, Xiaomi, Motorola and OnePlus.

In September, Motorola had announced its partnership with Walmartbacked Flipkart to launch its smart TVs in India. Its television sets — available in display sizes ranging from 32-inches to 65inches — are priced at

`13,999 onwards.

The Nokia branded smart TVs will feature audio powered by JBL’s sound program.

“Nokia is a globally popular technology brand and enjoys immense brand recall, so we’re excited to start this journey with them to extend the brand into a fastgrowing product segment,” Flipkart senior vice-president, Adarsh Menon, said.

Flipkart also offers smart TVs under its private label — MarQ by Flipkart. It offers smart TVs with screen size of

24-inches to 65-inches UHD, priced between

`6,999 to `64,999. —