Intel to power low-cost PCs in India

Bangalore: Intel Corporation, the world's largest chip maker, said on Tuesday it would spearhead an initiative to sell cheaper computers in India to increase usage in Asia's third-largest economy.

Intel, which is facing intense competition from smaller rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc, also plans to win back market share during 2006 as rising PC sales in emerging markets are seen offsetting mature demand in most western countries.

India's cheapest desktop now costs about Rs 10,000.

However, although India is a globally recognised software developer, penetration rates are abysmal due to high prices and the absence of reliable power in vast parts of the country.

A new desktop computer with an energy-saving microprocessor will be available at 20 per cent less than the lowest price, Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini said.

"People really want a full-featured personal computer. They want optical drive, they want full-featured operating system. They want to be able to run games," he said.

"They want Internet access. They want all the applications. No one wants to cross the digital divide with old technology."

Indian desktop sales are estimated to have risen 21 per cent to more than 4.1 million units in the fiscal year ended March 2006.

That compared with nearly a similar number of new users who enter the mobile services market each month.

The desktop will be available in two months and will be marketed by Indian companies like Wipro Ltd and Zenith Computers Ltd Intel will also collaborate with ICICI Bank Ltd to facilitate loans for buyers.

Demand for computers and notebooks in India is coming mainly from fast-growing sectors such as banking, financial services, telecommunications and information technology.

Entertainment and education-based software are fuelling demand for desktops in the home segment.

One Billion Purse

In December, Intel said it planned to invest more than $1 billion in India to strengthen its research and development and pick up stakes in telecoms and technology start-ups.

California-based Intel, which has a huge development centre in the Indian technology capital, Bangalore, has invested $700 million in India over the past decade.

Intel plans to spend $1 billion over the next five years to promote Internet use and computer training in developing markets such as India and Mexico.

The programme, dubbed "World Ahead" aims to bring high-speed wireless Internet access to 1 billion people who can't get online.

Intel would also work closely with Indian telecoms firm Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd, part of India's Tata group, to offer wireless broadband connectivity at railway stations.

Intel is facing intense competition from Advanced Micro Devices in the market for microprocessors - the brains that run computers.

Earlier this month, Dell Inc, the world's largest personal computer maker, said it would be using AMD Opteron Dual Core chips in multiprocessor servers due out later this year, ending its sole reliance on Intel.

"This means that we have to work harder to win that business back," Otellini said.

"Our intention is to win that market segment share across the board over the course of 2006," he added.

Intel has steadily lost market share to AMD over the past several quarters and has aggressively cut prices on its processors to stop the slide.

But the chip maker, which posted a 38 per cent fall in quarterly profit in April and cut its annual revenue forecast, said it had stemmed that loss in market share.

Intel is also in talks with the Indian government to set up a chip manufacturing facility in the country. Company officials said the dialogue continues.