HMD, a Finnish smartphone maker, recently unveiled two mid-segment phones tailored to the needs of Indian consumers. These new Crest devices represent HMD’s mission for sustainability, affordability, and repairability. Jean Francois Baril, HMD’s CEO and Chairman, spoke with IndianExpress.com about the company’s strategic approach and hopes for the Indian market.
“India is a major country for us, not only financially but also in terms of potential,” Baril says. The Crest series was created with a specific focus on Indian consumers’ demands, utilizing HMD’s global platform. Baril underlines that India is a large domestic market with export possibilities. “India is now ready to export, which was not the case some time ago,” he continues, citing support from measures such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI).
HMD intends to launch in India before expanding to the Middle East, Africa, and, most likely, Europe. “For future products, we’re also considering America,” says Baril, highlighting HMD’s broad global expansion strategy.
In India’s extremely competitive mid-range smartphone market, HMD hopes to differentiate itself by providing cost-effective handsets that prioritize user experience. Baril emphasizes the importance of cost without sacrificing quality. “We need to get ultra economical products into this market. We have all of the required specifications for this segment, and they are competitive. But what’s most impressive about these phones (Crest) is the user experience, which is best-in-class for this and even neighboring sectors,” he says.
Baril is particularly impressed with the Crest phones’ photographic capabilities, build quality, and sustainability features. “The camera, for example, features a 50-megapixel wide-angle selfie camera. When you hold the phone, it seems sturdy and well-made. “The color, material, and finish are world-class,” he adds. HMD’s commitment to sustainability is particularly noteworthy, as the business has collaborated with iFixit to make devices easier for people to fix themselves.
“We are the most sustainable company in the world by far,” Baril says. This goal includes making handsets more repairable, addressing a prevalent problem in which customers delay repairing their phones due to expensive prices. “Many individuals walk around with broken screens since they are expensive to fix. “Here, you can choose to repair it yourself,” Baril explains. He admits that older models were more difficult to fix, but current incarnations have simplified the process for typical consumers.
The recently released Crest and Crest Max are powered by the Unisoc T760 5G 6nm SoC. Integrating this chipset with Android 14 was a new challenge for the team, but Baril remains confidence in the collaboration and the chipset’s potential. “For this type of product, it’s an excellent fit for what we’re trying to accomplish. “These people are bringing the chipset to its next level of capability,” he says.
Alain Lejeune, HMD’s Chief Operating Officer, says that Unisoc is not a new partner. They’ve been working together for a few years, beginning with feature phones and progressing to 4G smartphones. “We have a strong technological partnership with them.” This chipset is cutting-edge technology, and our collaboration allows us to bring something new to the market. The user experience is really fluid, and we are able to provide it at a very affordable price,” Lejeune adds.
Baril also addresses smartphone addiction and the growing concern over excessive screen time, particularly among children. “This is a major issue, particularly in countries such as France, the United Kingdom, and America.” “We are constantly approached by lobbyists who want us to protect children,” he says. To remedy this, some HMD phones include a ‘detox mode’ that can be accessed by pushing a button. To answer these issues, the brand will shortly launch an initiative known as ‘Better Phone’.
When asked what mid-range customers look for in a smartphone, Baril identifies three main criteria: camera quality, cost, and overall user experience. He underlines the need of expanding access to high-quality gadgets. “I want to democratize the capability for people to get access to the best phones,” according to him. Lejeune adds that consumers in all markets are becoming more aware of their needs, particularly in terms of memory and processing power, which affects user experience.
