Fashion fads for phones

RETAIL: Manufacturers unveil snazzy mobile phone accessories.

It's no longer just a communication device, but a fashion statement. Little surprise, then, cell phone owners in India are splurging on frills for their mobiles.

And, believe it or not, the market for mobile accessories such as jewellery, snazzy covers, headsets and Bluetooth devices that make life easier for a phone owner, is a whopping Rs 3,000 crore a year.

The hip accessories are currently on display at Mobile Asia "" an exhibition of mobile phone manufacturers in New Delhi. Among the big boys with a major presence in the exhibition are Sony Ericsson and Samsung.

Here's a peek at what's on offer: For Rs 4,000 you can have a device which converts your rear-view mirror into a display for the phone. So if someone is calling you, just look at the number on the mirror while you drive.

The hottest products, however, are for music lovers. Sony Ericsson has launched stereophonic speakers at Rs 4,000 called MDS-65, which can be attached to the phone and give the effect of a mini home theatre.

There's an intelligent watch MBW-100 up for grabs, too. Priced at Rs 14,000, the watch has a Bluetooth device and is equipped with a caller ID. It gives you alerts for calls and SMSs, and also if you're leaving your cell phone behind.

Cashing in on the craze for such accessories, a Delhi-based entrepreneur Ashok Gupta is setting up Molife "" a retail chain of mobile accessories across the country.

"We are planning to launch at least 20 exclusive Molife stores and expect to do a turnover of Rs 100 crore in 2008 itself. Already, we import such products from China and Korea and these are sold through over 2,000 outlets in India," he says.

It's easy to see why selling accessories is tempting. "Nearly 8-10 per cent of all mobile users use accessories," says Sudhin Mathur, country head, Sony Ericsson.

Besides, retail margins in cell phones vary between 3 and 5 per cent but in accessories the margins are as high as 35 per cent. "So, most stores keep both to improve their overall margins," Gupta observes.

At the ongoing Mobile Asia, Bluetooth based accessories are a big draw. Samsung's stereophonic bluetooth headset priced at Rs 15,000 can be used on any Bluetooth-enabled phone.

RPG has launched a Bluetooth enabled car speaker which can be attached on the sunshade of a car. The speaker allows you to talk on the hands-free mode without actually having to carry it on you. It also has a private mode option which can be attached to the ear and used as a regular hands-free equipment. Priced at Rs 3,500, it is a steal for busy commuters.

Samit Kampani, head of accessory sales at RPG Cellcom says that the Bluetooth accessories market has exploded and sales of branded and unbranded products have touched one million units a month.

"This is more than double of what was sold three or four months ago," he adds. There are others who are cashing in on the craze for making the phone look snazzier.

Molife is selling zero magnetism pouches which use special magnets which keep the magnetic energy away from the phone. This reduces any chance of the magnet affecting the performance of the phone, screen or the camera. The price of the accessories ranges from Rs 350 to Rs 400.

The jewellery range for women costs Rs 250-Rs 325 and the attachments with a Ganesha figurine, or a floral design, are available and make your phone look different.