Videocon's Windows-10 TV available at 55,000 locations: Akshay Dhoot

Videocon, in partnership with Microsoft, launched the world’s first Windows-10 powered LED TV recently. Called ‘One Touch PC, One Touch TV’, the new TVs come loaded with Microsoft Office, the Windows Store and All Cast app.
Retailer Media caught up with Akshay Dhoot, Videocon’s Head of Technology and Innovation to talk about the relevance of Windows-powered TVs in the age of mobile phones, the intended target audience, display-sizes and plans to sell online.

In the mobile-dominated era, how is Videocon marketing the computer TV?
Although I agree that the mobiles are coming up big and people are using smart-phones for a lot of different things, But if you see none of the businesses have stopped using computers. Mobile are more for consuming, for example watching videos, texting, creating images and uploading them. When it comes to creating data, in Excel, Word or Power Point, mobile phone usage becomes redundant. People will continue to use computers, and because TV is an integral part of everybody’s life, it is only convenient for them to use their TVs as personal computers.
India’s TV penetration is closing to 100 per cent. We decided to integrate the Internet as part of the TV. One can use different accounting softwares on it like Tally or SAP. Kids can play X-Box games, professionals can work outside of their offices, and students can easily create school assignments and share them and so on. So, whatever the computer does, this new Videocon TV will do and the integration of Microsoft Windows 10 only makes it the best deal.

Is the new offering by Videocon only focused on businesses or customers all over? What would be the intended target audience for the device?
Like Windows, the Videocon TV is for any person who wants to buy a computer, and not necessarily for businesses. Students for their projects, kids for their gaming consoles and others for whatever their aim is behind buying a computer, this TV is for everyone. The large screen experience is what makes the difference here, apart from the multi-tasking features that come along with it. Plus, the need to keep two different panels becomes redundant.

Run us through the features of the Windows-Videocon TV.
They are the same as our other TVs, including multimedia features, HDMI ports for DVDs, Bluetooth and so on. And in this TV, touch once and it will get converted into a Windows PC. While the other features remain untouched, it is the outer design and the Microsoft Windows integration that makes this TV different from every other TV that we have launched. People might feel reluctant to buy a computer first time, but they would never feel that way before buying a TV.

With 55,000 retail touch points, where all does Videocon plan to sell out the Windows Powered Videocon TV?
Since the corporate demand of the TV will be equivalent to students finding a reason to buy it, Videocon will keep the TV at each and every counter it has across the country. So, all our partners will have the Windows TV. It is because it a mass product and sells anywhere and everywhere. Children and adults alike use the Internet increasingly today, so at a competitive price-point like this, the product needs to have a massive visibility.

Does that mean you are not selling it online?
As of now, the answer is ‘NO’. If we do feel the need to sell through our online channels, we will do that.

What are the price-points and display-sizes?
The 32-inch panel comes in at Rs 39,990 and the 40-inch model comes in at Rs 52,990. We might come with two bigger display-sizes and a smaller-display depending on the demand in the future.