3 Myths About Tech in Asia

Technology in Asia is growing. May be that’s an understatement because nobody knows the full picture. Is Asia a general hub for manufacturing or it can be a consumer of latest technology products?  Asia is large and diverse. While Japan and South Korea are at the one end of the spectrum where technology hits before it hits the rest of the world, there are countries like India and China which provide vast potential for future growth.

This article by Hindu lists 3 myths about Technology in Asia: Asia is not a hub of innovation, purchasing power isn’t at par and Asians don’t own multiple devices.

First is the hub for innovation. While we can bask in the glory of how iPads are made in China and how low-cost mobile makers of India have brought Nokia to its knees in India, the truth still is, innovating something the world wants isn’t yet done in China. Case in point: Apple and its products. Its Asian competitor is Samsung which is yet to produce a world-beating product. Sure, Samsung Galaxy Note is buzzing but there is still work to be done.

Acer, Asus, Lenovo and Toshiba were the first to recognize that Ultrabooks meet a growing demand for performance and mobility without compromises and are all companies based in Asia.

If my memory serves me right, it is Apple’s Macbook Air which created a ultra lightweight computers. Asus  and Acer built upon it. Can’t really call this as innovation. When it comes to innovation Asia is still catching up though that’s fast changing. This myth will remain a myth for sometime to come.

The second myth about purchasing power and Asia being interested in buying cheap products. This is bang on. Though I won’t be able to speak for the rest of Asia, India in general is on the look out for value for money products, not cheap ones. This was proved time and again. Though there are a plethora of low-cost mobile phones launched with attractive prices and features, it’s the Nokia’s and Samsung’s which occupy Indian mind space.

From a US$ 600 iPhone to a US$ 50 feature phone, Asia is the market. It’s all about selling in in the right cities.

The third myth is Asian consumers will not buy multiple computing devices.

Contrary to popular belief, rising incomes enable Asian consumers to own multiple devices, and consumers will purchase multiple devices from smart phones to full-functional PCs. Last year all categories showed positive growth whether it was smart phones or tablets, netbooks or laptops.

This myth is being busted right now. People are owning multiple computing devices. Of course it all boils down to the money and the income levels, which I am told, are rising.

Are there any other myths about Tech in Asia?

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