MAM
Samsung launches two new GSM handsets
MUMBAI / BANGALORE: Samsung India has announced the all-India launch of two new mobile hand sets – SGH C230 and SGH X640 – bringing the total to ten new models launched in 2005. Another 12 models are slated for release by December 2005.
A vivid 65,000 colour display, 40 polyphonic ring tones, voice recording functionality, 1,000 phone book memory are some of the other features of the Samsung SCH-C230, states an official release. It is priced at Rs 6,249.
On the other hand, the SGH-X640 comes with a high resolution VGA camera with 4X digital zoom, a 65,000 colour display and a shiny self portrait mirror making picture taking remarkably easy. The phone weighs 85 grams and supports tri-band GPRS facility. The phone is priced at Rs 8,699, the release adds.
“The need for high data transmission speeds is fuelling the wireless technology trends, from analog to digital and going forward to 3G and 4G applications. We want to lead in the convergence arena so that our users can truly enjoy the benefits of wireless technology and the growing number of applications derived from convergence,” said Samsung director – telecom H C Ryu.
A Samsung source said that US$2.8 million had been earmarked towards ad-spends for the C-230 and US$1.6 million for the X640, primarily on television-ads. Cheil Communications handles the creatuives. Samsung India GM Corporate Communications Ruchika Batra, said that Samsung had grossed Rs.49 billion for 2004, of which mobile phones contributed 14 per cent. Batra was confident of a 40 per cent growth in revenue for 2005, of which she averred that mobile contribution to revenue would grow to 17 per cent.
Samsung is aiming to fuel its growth in the Indian market through new feature rich handset introductions, strategic operator tie ups as well as by enhancing its penetration in the Indian market. “We are aiming for market leadership in the premium phone category by the year 2007 and expect to grow the folder phone category in India,” he added.
Samsung India is targeting over 90 per cent of its sales to come from the colour /camera phone market. The company, which has launched 10 new GSM models in the first five months of the year, plans to introduce 12 new models in the second half of the year.
“We expect to fuel the growth of the colour and camera phone segment in the country by launching our leading technology, innovative products in the Indian market,” Ryu said.
The company is focusing on customising its products to better meet the needs of Indian customers. A few Samsung handset models support up to seven regional Indian language menus including Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati and Kannada.
Based on the growing popularity of FM radio amongst mobile phone users, the SGH-C230 will be available with digital stereo FM radio. This is the first phone in the Samsung product portfolio to support digital stereo FM radio and at 70 grams, it is the lightest in the category of mobile phones with FM.
The company plans to continue leveraging its leadership in both GSM and CDMA protocols in the Indian market and is targeting a 30 per cent market share in the Indian market by 2007.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
