Aakash tablet cost 2999 rs.in indian market It arrive in the market by January 2012

Aakash tablet to arrive in the market by January 2012

The commercial version of the ultra low-cost Aakash tablet is likely to arrive in the market by January end next year. The tablet was earlier scheduled to hit shelves by the end of November. Confirming the delay, a spokesperson of DataWind, the Canada-based firm manufacturing the tablet, tells The Mobile Indian that an “improved version” of the Aakash tablet will be available in the retail outlets by next month end. The spokesperson further said that the availability of the tablet was delayed due to upgradation in the tablet and some problems with manufacturing.

To refresh your memory, the Aakash tablet, touted as the world's cheapest tablets, features Android 2.2 Froyo operating system, 256 MB of RAM and 2 GB of internal memory. Other notable features of the Aakash tablet include a 7-inch display with 800 x 480 pixel resolution, resistive touchscreen, GPRS and Wi-Fi support. For more details, read Your guide to the new $35 Aakash Tablet.

The fresh updates on the Aakash tablet come weeks after reports claimed that DataWind in partnership with Reliance Industries is prepping an ultra low-cost 4G tablet, to be priced between Rs. 4,000-5,000. Reliance is supposed to launch 4G in India next year. DataWind has high hopes from its ultra low-cost 4G tablet. The company has previously said it could expand tablet production by setting up a production plant in China, which is also likely to help maintain the cost advantage.

However, the delay in the launch of the Aakash tablet could delay the launch of DataWind's 4G tablet.

Reliance may offer Rs.10/GB 4G plans with Rs.3,500 tablets

After the overwhelming response received by the low-cost Aakash tablet, Reliance reportedly began working on the cheapest 4G Tablet that would cost the user less than Rs.5,000. According to some sources associated with the development, Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries announced high speed 4G data card for as low as Rs.10/GB, along with tablets that cost roughly around Rs.3,500 to be launched next year, reports The Economic Times. The high speed cards will be made available with their affordable tablets, along with the worldwide launch of an advanced technology.

4G plans for Rs.10/GB

The data services were earlier said to be launched by the mid of 2012 for data cards that work with computers and laptops. The 4G technology provides faster internet than the current 3G services. Moreover, offering 4G services at Rs.10/GB is almost going up to one tenth of the 3G plans presently offered. There is no news on the exact release date yet.

Reliance Infotel to offer tablet for Rs 3,500

Reliance may offer Rs.10/GB 4G plans with Rs.3,500 tablets

The tablets may come with bundled plans which can be as low as Rs 10 for one GB of data.

Mukesh Ambani owned Reliance Infotel, which is the only company with pan India BWA (4G/Broadband wireless access) spectrum, will offer LTE tablets for as low as Rs 3,500 according to a Times of India report.

Way back in December 2010, 'The Mobile Indian' had reported about the cheap LTE tablets that Reliance planning to launch. As reported by us earlier, there would be bundled plans accompanied by these low cost subsidised tablets for as low as Rs 10 for one GB of data.

The service will however be launched only by end of 2012, which is much later than what the company officials had told us then. This delay is mainly on account of the TD-LTE technology being not mature enough to be launched within 2011, with very few devices supporting the technology.

The company spokesperson has also informed the Times of India, that their service will be available to all the devices. There will be USB dongles, WiFi LTE Modems apart from the Tablets, so that all sorts of people with all sorts of devices will be able to access its services.

The biggest threat of the service will be faced by 3G service provider who have paid much higher amount. For instance, RIL paid Rs 13,000 crore for 20 MHz spectrum in all 22 circles while for just 5 MHz Bharti Airtel paid Rs 12,295 crore for spectrum in just 13 circles.

Therefore the ability of 3G service providers to compete with RIL on price would be limited. Also facing a stiff competition would be the CDMA players like Reliance communication, Tata Communication and MTS, which will have to substantially lower their tariffs in order to compete and also device new strategies in terms of device subsidisation.

For RIL the biggest worry is that such an experiment of subsidised devices earlier through Reliance Communication (When Anil and Mukesh were together and the elder Ambani was running the business) had failed as the company had to write off Rs 4,500 crore due to failed realisation of the subsidy amounts.

Reliance Infotel is now working hard to devise strategies to avoid the repeat of the situation of 2003. The company is also in talks with several device makers for sourcing devices that suit different consumer segments.