After numerous launch delays, India’s cheapest tablet, Sakshat, has hit a roadblock. What was supposed to be the world’s cheapest tablet turns out to be a substandard flop because of the hurdle due to the disagreements and concerns over cost overruns.
According to the Economic Times newspaper, the Sakshat tablet was supposed to launch on January 10th, which was later re-scheduled on January 15th — with an initial order of around 100,000 units.
The Indian government-issued tender was canceled following the complication with the device’s vendor, HCL Infosystems, who were the first to partner with the government in developing the Sakshat tablet.
It has been said previously that the Sakshat tablet is doomed from the start, but there is still a ray of hope for the launch of the device by the end of this year — all this only after the conflict between the device’s vendor and the Indian Government is resolved. For now, the tablet is likely to make it into the market.
Technology analysts tracking this sector says the projected price of Sakshat will be over $100, as the processor and display screen alone cost more than $35. So, yes, the tablet will be subsidized before it reaches the hands of the consumers.
Sakshat tablet is said to run on the Google’s Android Operating System and is able to deliver user-friendly interface to access videos (YouTube), easy web browser while packing 2GB of storage space with Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity. There are other notable features, but it is better not to flush out the details until the Indian government settles the scores with the vendors, which is likely to happen anytime soon.
