India’s smartphone market may be approaching a saturation point but there is still room for innovating products to grow, says Madhav Sheth, CEO of Ai+ smartphone and founder of NxtQuantum Shift Technologies, in an interaction with TNIE’s Rakesh Kumar. Excerpts:
You recently launched a new smartphone brand, Ai+ smartphone, in a market already full of big players like Chinese brands, Apple, and Samsung. What made you decide to enter the market now? Do you think there’s still space for a new brand?
India is the world’s second-largest smartphone market with over 650 million users. But if you look at the reality, in the last decade, no Indian brand has really scaled. However, nearly 450 million people are still using feature phones, with around 50 million new 2G devices sold every year. That says a lot. We have come far, but the digital divide still exists. The Ai+ smartphone project started with a simple question: why can’t India build and own its own technology stack? It was never meant to be just another phone brand. The market doesn’t need more phones. It requires more innovative, more transparent, and more inclusive technology. There is room, but only for brands that want to create long-term value and solve real problems for users.
Ai+ smartphone was launched earlier this year. Who are you mainly targeting with this brand, and how has the response been so far?
Our primary focus is on people buying smartphones for the first time and those seeking a dependable, high-performance device without unnecessary clutter. Users want clarity, reliability, and a clean experience that simply works. The response has been exceptional. What stands out in the feedback is how much people value the clean interface, the absence of bloatware, and the privacy-first design. It shows that India is ready for a homegrown smartphone brand built on trust and user control.
Your first Ai+ smartphone is in the entry-level segment, but many Indian users are now moving towards higher-end smartphones. How do you plan to manage this shift while offering a budget phone?
The shift towards higher-end smartphones is definitely happening, but it’s important to remember that about 75% of people in India still buy phones under ₹15,000. That’s a huge opportunity. Ai+ smartphone is about giving people great value for their money. We wanted to start by building trust with a solid, reliable phone that performs well and protects user privacy. Once people experience how good Ai+ smartphones are, they’ll want to stick around as we introduce phones with even more features in the mid and premium ranges. Our goal is simple: bring the best technology to everyone, not just a few who can spend a lot. We believe everyone deserves a phone that feels personal and respects their privacy, and that’s what we are working hard to deliver.
Is the Ai+ smartphone being made in India? Do you plan to increase local manufacturing or start exporting in the future?
Every Ai+ smartphone is designed in India and produced at the UTL facility in Noida. For me, Make in India is just the starting point. The real goal is to design, engineer, and own the entire stack here from hardware to software and cloud. We have already launched in Nepal and are exploring more markets. Over time, we want to deepen localisation across every layer. The larger goal is for India to move beyond assembly lines and start writing its own tech story.
Are you focusing only on online sales, or will the phones be available in stores as well?
At present, our primary focus is online through our partnership with Flipkart. It allows us to reach users across the country efficiently and offer substantial value without adding unnecessary distribution costs. That said, we will continue expanding our physical presence in a way that keeps pricing fair and accessibility wide. The goal is to give users the flexibility to buy wherever they are most comfortable, online or offline.
Do you have plans to launch other products under the Ai+ smartphone brand, like TWS earbuds or wearables, similar to what other smartphone brands are doing?
Ai+ smartphone was never meant to be just a smartphone brand. In the next five years, we envision Ai+ smartphone and NxtQuantum evolving into a global technology powerhouse encompassing a broader ecosystem. The idea is to create connected products and services that integrate performance, privacy, and applied intelligence, all powered by NxtQuantum OS. India has the talent and capability to build world-class technology, shaping the future we are creating.
