Handset Makers Ask Govt To Consider Smartphones As Essential Items: Report

After shutting down their manufacturing plants for 21 days, smartphone manufactures are now looking for special grants. Both, Realme and Xiaomi want the government to consider smartphones under essential things during this lockdown period.

The smartphone makers also want the government to allow e-commerce players to deliver the devices at the doorsteps of the buyers. In fact, industries body India Cellular & Electronics Association and Manufacturers' Association of Information Technology have also written a letter to the government for the same.

"Smartphones today are probably the most essential items after food and groceries that anybody needs," Manu Kumar Jain, the managing director-Indian subcontinent at Xiaomi, was quoted by Economic Times. Adding to that, "We can increase social distancing and reduce the number of people going out if everyone is using a smartphone."

Jain also said that the company is selling 1 crore devices every month. He states that there are some first-time buyers too. Meanwhile, Realme chief executive officer Madhav Sheth said that the smartphone is really important, and they are getting a lot of messages via Twitter accounts regarding new devices.

"We're seeing a lot of requests on Twitter from people who say their phones have been damaged and need devices because they're using them as Wi-Fi hotspots and for communications," Sheth added.

Meanwhile, ICEA estimated that the industry will lose Rs. 15,000crore in 21 days."At present, we have a turnover between Rs 500 crore and Rs 700 crore per day, so a shut down for about three weeks essentially means loss ranging between Rs 10,000 crore and Rs15,000 crore," Pankaj Mohindroo, chairman of Indian Cellular & Electronic Association of India (ICEA) was quoted by the newspaper.

For the unaware, Xiaomi was planning to launch the Mi 10 and the Mi 10 Pro, while Realme was about to launch its new smartphone series in India. The Narzo series was supposed to be launched on March 26.