Magicon enters 5-inch phablet segment with mNote, priced at Rs 9,999

With the branded 5-inch phablet selling at a premium , smaller players seems to be targeting a sizeable market share by coming in with cheaper options in the segment.

Quick on the heels of the Intex Aqua 5.0 and Spice Stellar Horizon MI-500, Magicon Impex has tied up with Aircel to bring the mNote. Like the other two, this device too features a 1GHz dual core processor running Android Ice Cream Sandwich.

While the mNote and the Aqua 5.0 are both priced at Rs 9,999, the MI-500 is costlier at Rs 12,499. But there is no doubt that all the companies are eyeing the high-data usage customer segment.

The 5-inch tablet is also being touted as a good option compared to a larger tablet. The portability of the device and its good processing power are the USPs, not the design as a handy phone.

Smaller players will most certainly benefit from a Hero effect of devices like Samsung Galaxy Note, LG Vu - which while being superior devices, cost almost four times more. A lot of people who were aspiring to buy these top-end phones, might settle for the cheaper options in the end.

The three budget devices launched so far offer good value for money, especially considering their price points. In fact, with dual core processors, 5-inch WVGA screens, 2000 mAh batteries and the latest Android versions, they might make lot of mid-segment phone makers rethink their pricing strategies.

Magicon has also launched two 3.5-inch phones, the m1 and m2, in collaboration with Aircel. These devices are priced at Rs 4,499 and Rs 4,999, respectively.