With the recent developments by Amkette, we were intrigued by what the company is up to for the year 2016. Hence we decided to find out by meeting the top brass of Amkette India. And as luck would have it we managed to meet and interact with Varun Bapna, the Senior VP at Amkette, India. But more importantly technology runs through his blood and he is an Arsenal fan! What does that say about him? He is into tech and sports, rings any bell? If not then check this out –
And it was because of the Amkette Evo Gamepad Pro that we were so impressed by this Indian tech giant that we decided to know what is coming out in the near future. Well we have a lot of classified information on the new launches that will be launching soon but for now here is our rendezvous with Varun Bapna.
- It’s been 30 years for Amkette. I’ve personally used most of your products and transitioned from Floppy Drives, CD’s, DVD’s to latest range of products. How has the journey been in terms of staying ahead of the fierce competition and changing the company’s vision to match the current trends?
It has been a really long time that we are in this industry of innovation and technology and truly the journey has been incredible for us. A lot of our research has gone into developing products that match up to customer requirements in a budgeted price range. To understand the nature of the consumer durables market in India and to analyse the critical success factors in this market, evolvement was necessary. Since our inception we have enhanced the digital lifestyle of consumers with the state of the art storage, computing, and entertainment & wireless products.
Our drive is not only to match up with the current trends but also to look at what’s coming next. What kinds of products will help improve the life of our consumers in ways that even they don;t know yet.
Having our pedigree in manufacturing, innovation and marketing, we have created a highly enviable brand recognition in the industry. Amkette has always been at the forefront in providing consumers with products that stand out in their features and quality. This is supported by a highly experienced R&D team and strong technology alliances.
- How soon do you think people will stop using keyboards completely and rely on service like Siri, Google Now to do the typing bit.
These technologies are definitely having an impact on how people use their Smartphones already. As our phones, becomes more and more central to our lives, and start acting like control points or hubs to all our modern conveniences, the importance of technologies like Voice recognition will grow. But even though, Cloud computing, and Machine Learning make the possibilities both exciting and endless, specifically in the Indian context, proper nouns, and our myriad of accents, could play a spoiler for complete acceptance; how do you say Bishma Pitamah Marg? But the good thing is, the more people who use it, the better it will get.
- We have seen great products in the audio and gaming category from Amkette. How are the numbers like and have you considered bundling your products with OEM’s or smartphone manufacturer.
The audio category specially for wired headphones, is a very competitive, and saturated market. We have release a range of products that offer excellent quality, with great features. One of our headphones is the only headphone to have Sharing Jack that lets you connect a second headphone to it.
With Smartphones becoming omnipresent, and Bluetooth chipsets becoming more easily available, we have seen a huge growth in both Bluetooth Speakers as well as headphones. For the last year, and for the year to come we will be focusing on releasing Ultra Value products in this category.
Smartphones have finally brought gaming to mainstream India. We love Games for the entertainment they bring, but also for the positive value they can add to people lives. We’re deeply imbibed in these trends and committed to upgrading the mobile and casual gamers experience to another level. So far the response for the Evo gamepad has been exemplary. We are in talks for some Mobile OEM’s to create unique experiences for their customer as well.
- The world of tech is moving towards wearable devices. Does Amkette have any surprise for us in that segment?
Amkette is known for forward thinking technologies and practical innovations. All our products draw inspiration from consumer’s lives. While wearables have very useful applications, in many cases it’s more of a fad than a trend. We have some great insights, and are working on some truly useful wearable devices. We’ll just have to wait and se.
- What next for Amkette or where do you see Amkette by 2020?
For the coming months, we are focusing on creating a niche and stronger brand resonance for the Amkette Evo Gamepad in the casual gaming community and also focusing on the next generation Evo TV – a true cable TV disrupter in the making. Very soon we will be announcing another disruptor in the Gaming Industry, which we’re truly excited about.
In the meantime we are closely following and experimenting with various future technologies like 3D printing and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. So don’t be surprised if in the future we announce a 3D printed Drone!
Amkette will continue to focus on this generation’s desire for connectivity and convergence, that prefers quality in terms of design, performance and above all experience. We will continue to build innovative products by foraying into newer categories for the Indian market with International standards.
