Samy 32-inch smart Android TV for Rs 4,999

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Samy 32-inch smart Android TV for Rs 4,999: 10 points to know before you buy cheapest smart TV of India

The 32-inch smart TV from Samy has been launched in India at an MRP Rs 4,999. The TV runs on Android OS and supports basic smart TV features. But there is devil hidden in details. An Aadhaar number is mandatory and you can only pay via cash-on-delivery.

HIGHLIGHTS

• In order to book the TV, consumers will have to download an app from the Google Play Store.
• The 32-inch smart TV will show ads out-of-the-box.
• Samy will be selling the smart TV on a first-come-first-serve basis.

On Wednesday, the smart TV industry was greeted with some unexpected news. Samy, a relatively new name in the TV manufacturing industry, launched a new smart TV in India at a price of Rs 4,999. For the first time, one can purchase a smart TV in India for less than what a budget smartphone costs these days. And it’s not that you are getting a product that is spartan in terms of features. The cheapest TV from Samy has a 32-inch IPS panel and runs on an Android OS-based smart TV interface.

But is it too good to be true? Maybe. Or maybe not. But over here at India Today tech we still suggest you wait and watch before you go ahead and buy Samy 32-inch TV.

The company on Wednesday went to great lengths to explain that its new TV wasn’t a scam in any way. Samy’s 32-inch smart TV apparently makes use of Make in India initiative benefits to keep the price low.

If you are impressed by what Samy has to offer and are planning to buy one, here are some important points that you should keep in mind before you hit the book button.

10 things you should know about the Rs 4,999 smart TV from Samy

-- Even though Samy shows the price as Rs 4,999, consumers will have to pay additional charges for home delivery as well as the taxes. For example, ordering the Samy TV from Noida will see the final price go up to around Rs 8,000.

-- The Samy 32-inch smart TV will only sell via the company’s website. You won’t be able to buy the TV off the shelves. Consumers will need to book the TV online and the TV will be delivered to their house directly. Consumers can only make the payment for the 32-inch TV via the cash-on-delivery method. The company doesn’t accept online payments for the TV at all.

-- In order to book the TV, consumers will have to download an app from the Google Play Store. The app will require buyers to register their name, phone number as well as email ID.

-- In order to book the 32-inch TV, consumers will have to provide their Aadhaar number while registering for the product. Samy says they require the Aadhaar number to ensure that the TV is not sold to those who sell buy and TV parts. Wait what?

--The 32-inch smart TV will show ads out-of-the-box. Samy says that ads are the only way that they use to make up for the losses. In short, they earn via ads on the TV.

-- The 32-inch TV gets up to 3 years of warranty and 1 year of onsite free servicing. After 1 year, the buyer will have to pay for the service charges.

-- Samy will be selling the smart TV on a first-come-first-serve basis. Those who book first will get the delivery on priority. The company is resorting to this in order to compensate for the limited stocks initially.

-- The 32-inch TV has a 1366 x 768 resolution HD panel. The panel has IPS support, which should ensure wide angles of viewing. The 32-inch smart TV runs on a customised version of Android 4.4 KitKat. The TV will support all Android apps and comes pre-loaded with some third-party app stores and other video streaming apps. Do note that it doesn’t run on Google’s Android TV OS.

--Other features include a 20W stereo speaker output with support Dolby Digital audio, 2 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports and VGA ports. Samy also bundles the smart TV with a TV remote as well as all the wall mount accessories.

--When India Today asked whether this is another attempt at repeating the infamous Freedom 251 smartphone scam, Samy said that they have been selling TVs in the Indian market for 2 years. They never came into the media’s attention until they were ready with this product. So, probably no.