Philips launches monitor range

BANGALORE: The consumer electronics and PC peripherals division of Philips

India Ltd., has unveiled a range of 14 PC monitors in the domestic market. This

makes the Philips range of monitors the widest in the country, claims the

company.

Commenting on the launch, Philips India Ltd. consumer electronics senior

vice-president Rajeev Karwal said, "The key objective of introducing the

new products is to increase preference in established product sectors and

markets, besides establishing high preferences in new sectors.'' The company

claims to have sold 30,000 monitors last year through direct imports, and is

targeting a sales of 70,000 monitors envisaging a sales revenue of around Rs 70

crore this year. The company may consider manufacturing monitors some time next

year, Mr Karwal said, adding that the volumes being sold currently do not

justify domestic marketing.

The world market for monitors is estimated at 108 million in 2000, and is

projected to be 148 million in 2003. The domestic market, in contrast, is

estimated to be 1.5 million this year and is expected to accelerate to 4.5

million in 2003. Philips India also launched its speech recognition software for

PC, FreeSpeech 2000 and related hardware peripherals along with the PC monitors.