Rituparna Mandal, General Manager, MediaTek Bangalore
India’s devices and electronics ecosystem is witnessing massive upgradation to prepare for the 5G era. MediaTek is a company that has been consistently working to facilitate the upgradation of smartphones to support 5G networks, alongside catering to the evolving smart device ecosystem. In an interview with tele.net, Rituparna Mandal, general manager, MediaTek Bangalore, talks about the company’s initiatives and upcoming trends…
What are the key trends dominating the smartphone space in India? What has been MediaTek’s contribution in this domain?
The biggest trend currently dominating the smartphone space in India is the deployment of 5G. In this scenario, MediaTek has already launched an array of 5G chips under our MediaTek Dimensity family, aimed at enabling disruptive 5G connectivity for users across the premium, flagship, mainstream and mass market categories. We are also working with major smartphone original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to create tailored smartphones through the use of the MediaTek Dimensity Open Resource Architecture, which offers OEMs closer-to-metal access on chips. Additionally, we are witnessing trends such as a focus on adaptable screens, high performance batteries, superlative imaging and incredible gaming. We are catering to these customer requirements through our solutions such as the MediaTek HyperEngine gaming technology, which enables whole smartphone enhancements that give gamers intelligent performance and power efficiency boosts; MediaTek Imagiq, which allows users to stream themselves on up to three cameras at once and capture impressive low-light photos in an instant; and MediaTek MiraVision, an exclusive suite of technologies that intelligently adjust a wide range of display and video stream factors.
What are the key technology trends you foresee with the arrival of 5G in India?
With the arrival of 5G in India, we expect that consumers will be able to enjoy seamless coverage, an exceptionally high data rate, low latency compared to 4G and a superlatively reliable communications system. In the smartphone segment, everything from gaming to visualisation and imaging will undergo transformation, thanks to 5G. 5G will also help India bridge the divide between its urban and rural landscapes, making connectivity a reality across the country. We are also looking forward to ongoing technology trends such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, augmented reality and virtual reality, internet of things (IoT) and smart cities receiving a sustainable boost through the high data speed and low latency unlocked by 5G.
How does MediaTek plan to address the evolving smart device ecosystem?
As a brand that focuses on creating incredible experiences for consumers, MediaTek is taking robust steps to cater to the evolving smart device ecosystem in India. At present, we are powering nearly 2 billion devices every year, on a global scale, and our chips are an integral component of one in five smart devices being used today. In 2023, our focus will be on increasing our share in the premium and flagship segments, while maintaining our stronghold in the other categories. Accordingly, we have recently launched a bevy of chips, including the MediaTek Dimensity 8200, the MediaTek T700 5G modem, Flagship Dimensity 9200, Kompanio 520 and Kompanio 528, and the MediaTek Pentonic 1000, catering to various smart device categories such as smartphones, Chromebooks, smart TVs and connectivity solutions.
What are the key strategies adopted by MediaTek to boost its customer outreach and establish a base for cutting-edge R&D in India?
As a business-to-business brand, MediaTek is now focused on boosting customer outreach and taking our solutions to our customers. To this end, we are collaborating with all the major smartphone and smart device OEMs in the country, and also associating with leaders such as Jio for eSports championships. Our media and customer outreach initiative, the MediaTek Tech Diaries, is another innovative platform which we leverage regularly to stay in touch with our consumers and understand their pain points while also educating them on the array of solutions we offer. We are also working with e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart to boost awareness about our innovations.
In terms of establishing a base for cutting-edge R&D in India, we are strongly focused on enhancing our Bengaluru facility, which has already contributed to several major global breakthroughs, including Chromebook system-on-chips, software development for 2G to 4G and co-work for 5G and millimetre wave technologies in IoT, edge and AI. We expect the Bengaluru R&D centre to emerge as the hub of chip innovation in India, in the near future. On a global scale, MediaTek invested over $3 billion in R&D in 2021, and we foresee this figure rising in the years ahead.
