MASS HERO!

SAMSUNG ENTERS THE 10K GAME, WOOS AUDIENCES WITH TWO ITEM NUMBERS

Especially down south, certain actors have larger- than- life fan following — they may not do really classy roles or films with a social message. Their only aim is, in Vidya Balan’s famous words, “entertainment, entertainment and entertainment”. They are paisa vasool, they are talk of the town, and they become the flavour of the season. They are known as mass heroes.

The smartphone industry in India is as dramatic and entertaining as the film industry. There are big brands, there are upcoming brands, there are brands that quickly disappear after an appearance or two, and then there are the ‘ mass’ brands. What we witnessed recently, was the emergence of a new mass hero, from a brand that was into lavish period dramas. Samsung hitherto an upmarket brand, has released two affordable smartphones. The new Samsung Galaxy M Series includes the three biggest things young millennials ask for in a smartphone — an unconventional notch, a good selfie camera and a high- performance battery. The M Series is entirely made in India and has taken feedback from Indians before launching the range. The M 20 has a 6.3 inches FHD+ display, powered by a 5,000 mAh battery and an Exynos 7904 octa- core processor. It comes with a 15W charger. With a 13 MP plus 5MP rear camera configuration with ultra wide- angle ca pa bi lities, and an 8 MP s elfie camera — the camera specs are the stuff of mid- range phones. With face unlock and fingerprint sensors, the M 20 tries to offer everything a young on- the- move professional would want in his/ her first smartphone, at a compelling price point. The M 10, on the other hand, comes with a 5 MP selfie camera, a 3,400 mAh battery, a 6.2 inches screen, powered by the Exynos 7870 processor. The M 20 is priced at ` 12,990 ( 4 GB plus 64 GB) and ` 10,990 ( 3 GB plus 32 GB), while the M 10 is priced at ` 8,990 ( 3GB plus 32GB) and ` 7,990 ( 2GB plus 16GB).