CHINAS GIONEE TARGETS 10 PERCENT SHARE Chaitanya Gudipaty The Economic Times

Chinese smartphone maker Gionee Communication Equipment is aiming to capture a 10 percent share of the Indian market over the next two-three years. That will require the company to increase its current market share several times, competing with established players like Samsung Electronics. In an interview, Gionee India head Arvind R Vohra says he is confident of achieving the target. Edited excerpts:

How did you plan your India entry and how successful have you been in achieving the targets?

Since our India entry around February 2013, we have done business worth Rs 250 crore as of November and in the December to February period we expect another Rs 250 crore. Now, year two will be all about getting our retail story correct. We are looking at having 200 of our own brand stores and about 2,000 shop-in shops. So the whole game this year is about retailing.

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 3 NEOS IMAGES LEAK New Delhi The Times of India

Press images of a phablet tipped to be Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo have reportedly surfaced online. In the alleged renders published by SamMobile, the device appears similar to Galaxy Note 3, complete with the faux-leather back cover and the new S Pen stylus. The camera module on the phone looks different than that of the Note 3, and the phone appears to be smaller than its elder sibling. The report claims that the images were sent to them by someone working with the company's Belgian retailer. It also claims that the phone's pre-order page is set to go live soon and will cost 599 euros. It's likely that Samsung will showcase the phone at the upcoming Mobile World Congress, scheduled for last week of February.

GET YOUR HIGH-END SMARTPHONE INSURED Neha Pandey Deoras, Mumbai Business Standard

Smartphones have become a necessity these days, and many of us are buying the high-end ones on equated monthly instalments (EMIs) which allows one to pay for these phones over time.

AS MICROSOFT-NOKIA COMES CALLING, SMARTPHONES TO GET CHEAPER Romit Guha & Anandita Singh Mankotia, New Delhi The Economic Times

Mobile phone users could look forward to a sharp fall in smartphone prices post Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia's devices business, as the larger scale could allow the combined company to reduce the price of its entry-level smart devices and help attract users of the cheaper feature-phones. In an interview, Microsoft India's group director for operator channel, Sharlin Thayil, said the company hoped to bring down all barriers to the smartphone segment, which may also lead to a relook at the future of feature-phones as part of the combined company's product portfolio.

SPECTRUM GOVT WILL TAKE ITS CUT IN SPECTRUM TRADES Thomas K Thomas, New Delhi The Hindu Business Line

The Government may collect a transaction fee on spectrum being traded between telecom companies. According to the rules being drafted by the telecom regulator, the fee will be paid by the buyer. Spectrum trading is expected to change the dynamics of the industry as it will allow operators buy and sell airwaves

according to their needs. For example, an operator with more subscribers in a circle can buy additional spectrum from another player. Currently spectrum trading is not allowed in India. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is expected to announce the final rules by this month-end. Sources in the Government said the proposed transaction fee would be one percent of the transaction amount. Operators selling spectrum through the trading mechanism will have to notify the Telecom Department about the quantity of spectrum being sold and the price. There could be a lock-in period for spectrum that is traded. If an operator buys spectrum through the trading route, then it will not be permitted to sell any airwaves in the same frequency band for two years.