DataWind is responsible for creating one of the cheapest Indian Android tablets on the market, with prices going for even $35 and meant for use in the educational system. Lately the manufacturer has been having some problems in facing the demand though it looks like a solution is underway.
The DataWind Aakash line is now most popular not only on the market is was designated for but also throughout the world due to the fact that it demonstrates that it is possible to create a device that is both very cheap and respectable in terms of features. The manufacturer now decided to release some figures in regards to the shipments of its latest Aakash 2 tablets for the students in India. The numbers show a high level of demand and shipping, though they are expected to rise soon enough:
To date 17,100 devices have been delivered to IIT-Bombay and paid for.
29,400 devices are in transit to IIT-Bombay through our logistics company and shall be delivered in the next few days.
23,500 devices are manufactured and at sub-contract manufacturers, pending shipment (upon payment for the 29,400 units).
Of the remaining 30,000 units, the mother boards including touch screens and all other components are manufactured, and final assembly is being completed, which is expected within the next couple of weeks, although all efforts are being made to deliver as many as possible by March 31st.
DataWind is not only trying to face the demand for its products, but also working on new ones. Recent reports talk about the Aakash 3 & 4 devices that are currently in the works, expected to deliver the same low costs for features more on par with the current level of the market. The current specs for the Takash 2 tablet include a 1 GHz Cortex A8 processor, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of flash storage, Android 4.0.3, built in WiFi and a front VGA camera. DataWind President and CEO Suneet Singh Tuli, stated:
“We are pleased with how our manufacturing has scaled over the last few months. We are currently delivering between 2,500 to 3,000 units per day to our customers commercially and have been recognized among the top 3 tablet manufacturers in India for the last two quarters in a row.”
