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With an aim to make the most compelling digital music phenomenon more accessible to Indian consumers across the country, HCL Infosystems Ltd. – nation’s premier information enabling and integration company – and Apple today formed a strategic alliance to develop a joint go to market and support strategy for Apple iPods in India.

 

As part of the alliance, HCL will provide complete sales & service support for Apple iPods in India, leveraging its undisputable strength in marketing & distribution of ICT products in India.

 

Announcing the tie-up with Apple, Mr. Ajai Chowdhry, Chairman & CEO, HCL Infosystems said, “This tie-up reflects two key milestones for HCL. First it marks a unique tie up between two corporates, Apple and HCL, both of whom this year are celebrating three decades of innovation, passion and defining markets in their respective spheres. Secondly, it marks HCL’s renewed focus in addressing the emerging digital lifestyle revolution in India. We are proud to team up with Apple for the distribution of Apple Ipods in India”.

 

Apple iPod, initially launched in 2001 and followed by several “generation next” avatars, is one of the most successful product launch of recent times. Apple iPod has revolutionized the way people store & listen to their music and has inspired a totally new breed of technologies like ‘Podcasting’ as well as content development.

 

” Its hard to recall any branded recreational product that has ever carried the cultural oomph that the iPod now has…even more than its astounding success in the marketplace, the Ipod has become a true cultural & social phenomenon, influencing lives in a way that consumer marketing types only fantasise about… the Pod is revolutionizing the retail music business… Now the Pod is storing books and photos too” – Fortune Magazine (June 27, 2005)

 

“The iPod is a strangely magical thing…and each generation promises something new & exciting” – Time Magazine (July 28, 2004)

“Papers must learn to love iPods” – Rupert Murdoch, while talking with Businessweek on digital technology

“It’s a perfect template for how digital devices should be designed in the future…” – Fortune Magazine, on launch of Apple iPod.

 

As part of the tie-up, HCL is setting up distribution, logistics & service network to ensure availability of Apple iPods at key retail channels, including music shops, consumer electronic stores, format stores and other key outlets. To be launched in a phased manner, the first phase would cover metros and key mini-metros including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata & Pune.

 

Also, HCL would also be shortly introducing leading iPod accessories across its network. Further, intense customer-centric activities would be rolled out to enable Indian music connoisseurs experience the iPod revolution.

 

Digital music has become a rage universally. According to the IFPI:06 – Digital Music report, globally around 420 million single tracks were downloaded in 2005 – up more than 20 times from the two-year-ago figure. It excludes music on mobile phones. Together in 2005, these two new distribution channels took record company revenues from digital sales to an estimated $ 1.1 billion globally (split roughly 60:40 between online and mobile music), tripling in value compared with 2004.

 

Elaborating on the potential of digital music in India, Mr. Chowdhry said, “India’s digital music industry is poised on the threshold of an explosive growth. It has enormous potential due to multiple factors that are driving the market. Firstly, the sheer size of Indian music industry as one of the largest players in the global music industry is the key to this potential. Steady technological advances including broadband availability promises a paradigm shift in the way music lovers can access and enjoy music, creating newer avenues such as online music transfers and non-physical music formats”.

 

Continuing further, he added, ” Given this scenario, it is the best time for Apple iPod to make its full-fledged foray into the Indian market. With its legendary technological leadership, coupled with HCL’s pan-India distribution network and undisputed reach of its support infrastructure, Apple iPod is set to cast its magic of multimedia entertainment amongst Indian audiences. HCL will also be selling and distributing Apple Desktop computers for Education, Media and Entertainment Space.

 

The addition of Apple iPod into the existing bouquet of wide range of varied communication devices & products namely Leaptops, Mobile phones, Digital Cameras, Media Centre PCs etc., will further strengthen HCL’s quest to bring a full digital lifestyle experience to the Indian consumer.

 

About HCL Infosystems

HCL Infosystems, India’s premier information enabling and integration company offers its customers technology solutions across multiple platforms. It has partnerships with some leading global player like Intel, AMD, Toshiba, Ericsson, Microsoft, Nokia, Apple and Zee among others.

 

HCL Infosystems has direct customer services center across 300+ locations and two ISO 9001 certified state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. With a mission to provide world-class information technology solutions and services to enable its customers to serve their customers better, HCL Infosystems is forever setting new standards of IT in the country. For more information please visit www.hclinfosystems.in

 

About HCL Enterprise

HCL Enterprise is a leading Global Technology and IT enterprise with annual revenues of US $2.9 billion. The HCL Enterprise comprises two companies listed in India – HCL Technologies & HCL Infosystems. The 3-decade-old enterprise, founded in 1976, is one of India’s original IT garage start ups. Its range of offerings span Product Engineering, Technology and Application Services, BPO, Infrastructure Services, IT Hardware, Systems Integration, and distribution of technology and telecom products. The HCL team comprises of 32,000 professionals of diverse nationalities, who operate from 15 countries including 300 points of presence in India. HCL has global partnerships with several leading Fortune 1000 firms, including leading IT and Technology firms. For more information please visit us at www.hcl.in

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