How Smart Projectors Are Becoming the Smarter Choice for Indian Homes
This trend is emerging because post the pandemic, people want immersive entertainment in their living rooms
The pandemic leading to lockdown had created a void for people to experience entertainment. Watching a movie in the theatre or attending a sporting event such as the IPL was not possible. A gap was created due to this and it needed to be filled fast. Consumers started opting for smart projectors which lead to the trend of them watching all kinds of entertainment at home on a big screen.
Sushil Motwani, the official representative of XGIMI India has seen the home entertainment segment evolve rapidly during the pandemic. For one, the image of a projector has undergone a major overhaul. From a gizmo restricted to conference rooms and professional spaces, it has comfortably ensconced itself in living rooms and become an intrinsic part of home entertainment. Motwani says, "When we entered the Indian market just before the first lockdown, we were not sure how the Indian consumer would respond to the idea of smart projectors considering most homes have smart televisions. The initial curiosity of consumers has however expanded into genuine interest and now we have a client base that is ever-growing."
This he says, is due to the need for a more evolved home entertainment model. Explains Motwani, "During the pandemic, big-screen entertainment can no longer be taken for granted and families that already have a large screen, smart TV are opting for projectors because they provide an even bigger screen and immersive and larger-than-life experience. The versatility of the projector as it adapts to cinema viewing, gaming, a championship final, or just an OTT binge session is winning over buyers. Another big plus is portability that enables people to take it anywhere in the house and even outdoors."
Motwani thinks, despite avenues of entertainment opening up, the demand for the convenient plug-and-play projector will not wane. He says, "Look at the global trends. I was going through a report by researchandmarkets.com that says, the global market for projector screens is expected to grow at a CAGR (Compound annual growth rate) of 14.9 percent from $105.5 billion in 2020 to $278.8 billion by the year 2027. Another survey states that India’s projector sales have been growing with a CAGR of approximately 20% over the past few years."
This trend, feels Motwani, will grow because new age projectors are packed with features that televisions cannot match. They are light, fuss-free, can be installed anywhere, offer a much better viewing experience, can connect easily to the Internet, run popular apps available in the Google Play store, and even adapt easily to a cable TV box or a gaming console. They offer better sound, clarity, take up very little space, and are not very expensive when it comes to comparative price points. As Motwani says, "Home entertainment is being transformed across India. One smart projector at a time."