Flipkart has been making a lot of deals of late. On the heels of the announcement that it has received fresh funding to the tune of $1.4 billion, the online retailer is partnering with Indian phone manufacturer Micromax to develop and market smartphones for the mid-range market.
According to a report in the Economic Times, the companies are working on a smartphone range called Evok and the first devices to be sold under this brand are likely to be launched as early as next week. The phones will cost between ₹6,000 and ₹12,000.
"It's a long-term agreement with Flipkart where we will be developing products jointly based on the insights and consumer understanding we get," Shubhajit Sen, Chief Marketing Officer at Micromax told ET.
The partnership has benefits for both parties. While Micromax is looking to expand its online presence, Flipkart wants to sell more phones in the tier 2 and tier 3 market.
For sometime now, Micromax has been struggling in the Indian market. It dropped out of the top-5 selling smartphone list last year. The phonemaker wants to climb its way back by selling a variety of phones. Most recently, it launched the low-range smartphone Bharat 2 for just ₹3,499.
Earlier, Micromax entered the premium mid-range segment with its first dual-camera smartphone, called Dual 5. Priced at ₹24,999, the smartphone received good reviews from critics. The phone is sold exclusively on Flipkart.