We have seen India’s technology market change very closely over the years. There was a time when many customers walked into a store and asked only one question: “Is it within my budget?” Today, the question is different. The customer still cares about price, but they also ask, “Will this last? Will it work with my device? What is the warranty? If something goes wrong, who will help me?”
This change may look small, but it tells a much bigger story about India.
Managing Director
EVM India
Technology is no longer limited to offices, large companies, or premium households. It has entered small shops, homes, classrooms, service businesses, coaching centres, travel bags, mobile repair counters, creator setups, and student desks.
And this has happened because technology has become more affordable. When we speak about India’s next billion digital consumers, we should imagine a much wider group of people who are slowly building their digital lives one product at a time.
A student buys a basic laptop and later upgrades the RAM.
A shopkeeper starts with UPI payments and then needs a keyboard, printer, storage device, and power backup.
A young creator begins with a mobile phone and slowly adds a powerbank, memory card, SSD, microphone, and editing laptop.
A family buys one device that is used by children for studies, parents for banking, and sometimes even for business.
This is how India adopts technology. Not always in one big jump, but through many practical purchases.
That is why affordable technology is important. It is not just about selling a cheaper product. It is about allowing more people to participate.
In India, affordability does not mean the customer is willing to accept poor quality. In fact, the Indian customer is one of the most careful customers in the world. He may bargain on price, but he also remembers bad service. She may choose a value product, but she expects it to perform honestly.
This is something technology brands must understand.
A low price may create the first purchase, but only trust creates the second.
For a student, a laptop is not just a device. It is a way to attend classes, submit assignments, prepare for exams, apply for jobs, and learn new skills. If the laptop is slow, if the charger fails, if there is no service support, the problem is not only technical. It affects ambition.
For a small business owner, a smartphone, powerbank, storage device, or laptop is not a luxury. It is part of daily earning. A powerbank may look like a small accessory, but for a delivery partner, shopkeeper, field executive, or freelancer, it can mean staying connected through the day. A storage device may look simple, but for a photographer, accountant, student, or trader, it may hold years of work.
This is where affordable technology becomes much bigger than a product category.
It becomes a form of confidence.
The smartphone opened the door for India’s digital adoption. It made payments, communication, learning, shopping, and entertainment accessible to millions. But the smartphone alone cannot complete India’s digital journey.
Once people start using technology seriously, their needs increase.
They need more storage because photos, videos, documents, and business data keep growing. They need faster charging because the phone is now used almost the entire day. They need powerbanks because travel and work do not always wait for a charging point. They need laptops because serious study and work cannot always happen on a small screen. They need SSDs and RAM upgrades because speed matters. They need keyboards and accessories because productivity depends on comfort and reliability.
This supporting ecosystem does not always get enough attention. But it is the backbone of everyday digital India.
Every UPI payment needs a working phone. Every online class needs a reliable screen. Every creator needs storage. Every small business needs devices that do not fail in the middle of work. Every professional needs power, memory, and connectivity.
We often speak about Digital India in terms of apps and platforms. That is important. But Digital India is also a hardware story.
Without dependable hardware, the digital promise becomes weak.
I believe the next phase of India’s digital growth will come from depth, not only reach. It will not be enough to say that more people have access to the internet. The question will be: are they able to use technology meaningfully?
- Can a student complete a course without struggling with a slow device?
- Can a small shop maintain digital records safely?
- Can a creator store and edit content without fear of losing data?
- Can a professional in a smaller town work with the same confidence as someone in a metro?
- Can a family buy technology without feeling that quality is out of reach?
These are the real questions.
The next billion digital consumers will be practical consumers. They may not know every technical term, but they know their need very clearly.
They may not know the difference between SATA and NVMe, but they know when a system feels slow.
This means brands have a responsibility to speak simply. We cannot hide behind specifications. We must explain technology in a way that helps people make the right decision.
A good technology brand should not make the customer feel small for not knowing technical language. It should make the customer feel confident.
Small towns will play a major role in this journey. I have always believed that India’s smaller markets are not behind; they are simply different. The aspiration is strong. The need is real. The customer is alert. But the product must be available, understandable, and serviceable.
A premium-only approach will not serve this India. At the same time, poor-quality products sold only on price will also not serve this India.
The answer lies in responsible affordability.
That means products designed for real usage, not just attractive packaging. It means honest specifications. It means warranty that is actually honoured. It means service systems that customers can access. It means listening to retailers, distributors, service teams, and consumers because they often tell us what spreadsheets cannot.
That trust is important because for many first-time or value-conscious consumers, one bad experience can delay the next purchase. But one good experience can create confidence for the entire family.
India’s next digital leap will not be built only in boardrooms or large platforms. It will be built in ordinary places.
These are not small markets. These are the places where India’s digital future is taking shape.That is why affordable technology is not a compromise.
It is an enabler.
It is infrastructure.
And when it is built with quality and trust, it gives people something far more valuable than a device.It gives them confidence.
–Authored by Kunal Hundia, Managing Director, EVM India