The way we work, learn, and collaborate is changing rapidly. One minute we’re in the office brainstorming ideas for an upcoming project, and the next we’re in a client’s office giving a presentation. While our working lives have become more dynamic over the past few years, the technology that supports this workflow has yet to keep up. Of course, platforms like Sheets, Powerpoint, etc. can run on almost any PC with all the key security protocols and connections, especially if switching office spaces is still a bit of a hassle. Enter: BenQ InstaShow VS25 and RP05.
InstaShow VS25 is a wireless conferencing system launched by BenQ in India a few days ago. It essentially allows anyone to connect to a conference room or meeting simply by plugging a wireless button or transmitter into their laptop. It works regardless of device type, operating system, security protocol or even connection to a local wireless network. In short, it uses a “plug and play” mechanism to allow anyone to connect to an ongoing meeting. In addition, it can stream 4K video at 60 fps, support CVSS 4.0 certified encryption, and support up to four presenters on one screen.
The RP05, on the other hand, is an interactive display panel available in 65-inch, 75-inch, and 86-inch screen sizes, runs Android 15, comes with 16GB RAM and 256GB storage, and offers up to 10 TOPS NPU for edge AI computing. The smart screen also supports NFC, features two 25W speakers and a 20W subwoofer, edge-of-device artificial intelligence, BenQ’s own suite of apps with Google Play, an air quality monitoring system and a built-in ionizer to regulate air impurities. While these machines work perfectly together, you don’t have to spend too much time $400,000 ( $InstaShow VS25 and 179,000 $2 Lakhs (RP05) in one go. Instead, you can use them separately from any conferencing solution or smart display you own.
What’s truly unique about these devices is the problem they seek to solve. The idea is that different people come to the meeting room with different devices, and those devices should be able to interact with each other and the meeting without any hassle.
“…What we saw on a practical level is that when we moved into today’s conference rooms, we had various people, some clients, some internal, some hybrid and some other office people attending the meetings and they faced a lot of challenges to be able to participate in the meetings seamlessly… So, we considered all these pain points of our customers and we decided to launch an absolutely top-notch product,” Mr. Rajeev Singh, General Manager, India and South Asia, BenQ, in a conversation with HT Tech.
“…No matter what kind of devices you bring into the conference room…they should be able to connect to the system you have. So, that’s where the BenQ RP05 interactive flat panel display for conference room applications comes in, as well as our video conferencing system VS25,” he added.
Changing needs of Indian buyers
Apart from these newly launched devices, we also discuss the broader trends in the Indian electronics market. India has long been a price-sensitive market. On the one hand, this benefits Indian buyers and intensifies competition; on the other hand, it also restricts some quality products from entering the market at the same time as the global market. However, this is now changing.
“It’s value-centric or value-sensitive, and a portion of the market is moving towards premium products. So what we’re seeing is a shift towards the mid-to-high end. And in the mid-range, you have value-buying customers, but they’re not price-sensitive…and at the same time, there’s a group of customers who really want some of the premium features. Then they move to those high-end devices,” Mr. Singh said.
During our conversation, he pointed out that Indian consumers are now becoming more value-centric and they are now looking for things that are truly useful to them. “So, people are no longer just buying something to display. Yeah. Really finding value for them,” he added.
electronics manufacturing in india
Apart from newly launched devices and consumer trends, Mr. Singh also touched on the topic of the Indian electronics manufacturing ecosystem. He said the government attaches great importance to building manufacturing infrastructure in India and has developed a tailor-made responsibility structure so that companies have enough time to develop ancillary operations locally. This effort is being made not only at the central government level but also at the state government level which is equally serious about attracting investments.
However, he pointed out that India still lacks the manpower required for manufacturing. “While we have very high-quality human resources in terms of soft skills, software or technology, when it comes to manufacturing, I think there is still a lack of skilled labor required and we need to catch up quickly,” he said.
Talking about BenQ’s manufacturing plans in India, Singh said that currently one-third of the company’s revenue from the product portfolio sold in India comes from the Make in India initiative. In the next two to three years, the company aims to have around 50% of the devices sold in India manufactured locally.
“…almost one-third of our total revenue in India comes from the Make in India initiative… We want to achieve almost 50 per cent local content in manufacturing and that is our roadmap for the next two to three years time frame,” he added.
