Vaio is making a comeback on January 15 in India. The new Vaio laptops will be available through Flipkart for purchase in the region. The brand had once gained popularity for its sleek and colorful laptops on the Indian market, but a few years ago, it quietly left the region. Nexsto Company, based in Hong Kong, which also sells Avita laptops in India and international markets, is reviving the Vaio brand through a license agreement with Vaio Corporation in Japan.
It is already manufacturing, selling, marketing, and serving Vaio laptops in Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and the Middle East.
It is reported that the Vaio laptops entering the Indian market are “premium, intelligently crafted” and provide “exceptional” quality. The company has not, however, disclosed the specifications or characteristics of its latest models.
“We are looking forward to becoming the top choice for laptop buyers across the country,” said Seema Bhatnagar, Regional Business Director, South Asia, Vaio, in a press statement announcing the brand’s comeback.
Flipkart produced a microsite to tease the country with the launch of the new Vaio laptops. The microsite gives us a sneak look at the upcoming range’s design and suggests that there will be a lightweight construction for the laptops.
Sony launched Vaio as its PC subsidiary back in 1996. With its small models, it attracted buyers at a time when the market was full of bulky and thick laptops. For its 2-in-1 and hybrid versions, the company has also gained recognition. Sony found it difficult, however, to thrive in the PC market and eventually sold the brand in February 2014 to the investment group, Japan Industrial Partners.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has made working from home a necessity, Vaio’s launch comes amid a rising laptop market in the region. The country’s PC industry saw a 9.2 percent year-over-year (YoY) rise in the third quarter of 2020, according to a new survey by the International Data Corporation (IDC). The market has been dominated for some time by traditional players such as HP, Lenovo, and Dell, while new entrants such as Xiaomi are widening their lineups to find new Indian customers.