Comio, a smartphone brand from Chinese ODM, Topwise Communications, recently unveiled its new smartphone brand, the Comio X1 Note.

With the X1 Note launch, Comio expanded its market focus beyond its initial focus markets of North and West India, to transform into a pan-India brand in the hyper-competitive price band of sub INR 10,000. Comio’s smartphone product portfolio, currently includes six smartphones including the C1, P1, S1 Lite, C2 Lite, and the X1 Note. As per CMR Mobile Handset India Market Review, Comio has shipped around 700K units until April 2018.

To get market attention and success in the sub INR 10,000 price band is tough. Since entering India in mid-2017, Comio has been clear about its target segment, focusing on youth.  To attract the youth to Comio, the focus has been on engaging with college youth as well as through, for instance, by brand association with one of India’s largest music festival- Enchanted Valley Carnival.  The Comio messaging has been consistent across platforms, and channels.

The Comio X1 Note: A Massive Step Forward

The Comio X1 Note is a massive step forward for Comio, in terms of the shiny, high-quality finish, with an attractive packaging to boot.  The X1 Note stands out with its attractive product design, and includes all of the latest market-leading features at an aggressive price of INR 9,999.

The X1 Note runs on Android 8.0 Oreo and is powered by MediaTek’s MTK8735 quad-core processor. It comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage, expandable up to 128GB through a MicroSD card. Comio X1 Note sports a 6-inch display, with aspect ratio of 18:9, and a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels.

The fingerprint scanner at the back of the X1 Note enables more than one function, whether it be unlocking the phone, taking pictures, or accessing applications. Coupled with that, is the smart Face Unlock feature using facial recognition.

The X1 Note comes with a 2900 MaH battery that is sufficient for a day.

For Comio’s target demographic: Millennials, the Camera is the key, and Comio does not disappoint here. The X1 Note comes with a dual camera setup at the back, including 13-megapixels + 5-megapixels sensors with autofocus and LED flash.

Having tried the Comio X1 Note, we know that the X1 delivers good stunning pictures across the various camera modes, whether it be Potrait, Panorama, Social or Night modes.

The X1 Note offers all the “must-have” specs, and is a proof of Comio’s aspirations and its perseverance to carve a niche in the India, with its constant refinements in design and user experience.

Closing Thoughts

 While Online is an important channel, and has been the route to success for some of the recent entrants in India market, the India market is full of complexities, and still has a vast audience that subscribes to the trend of researching online, and purchasing offline.

Beyond the major metros, there is an Aspirational India of millennials who depend on the local retailer to guide them on getting a new smartphone. For them, touch and feel experience before deciding on purchase, the need for immediate gratification, and the recommendation of the retailer are some of the drivers for smartphone purchase.

It is this demographic that Comio aims to cater to, and capture. It has clearly identified the hunger of the youth in smaller cities and towns for getting a trendy smartphone that is value for money and yet comes with the latest specs. With the Comio X1, Comio has ventured into city-specific launches across East and South India. Comio is banking on a differentiated approach to sell its smartphones, by relying on a network of small multi-branded outlets across India, while still pushing its products through major ecommerce platforms.