Vivo Pad 2 launched, should company consider launching new tablet in India?

Vivo is back with another tablet called the Vivo Pad 2. It is the second-generation tablet from the brand, which is keeping up with rivals such as Xiaomi to show mobile camera prowess. The new Vivo Pad 2 is not a part of that rivalry – yet – but it, sure, looks like a promising product. Thanks to its high-end specifications, such as a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 processor, a 2.8K display, and support for stylus input, the Vivo Pad 2 will appeal to customers looking for a premium tablet. For now, the tablet will be available in the company’s home market, China, but should it launch in India?

I do not see a reason why the Vivo Pad 2 should not come to India. The tablet market in India is not as diverse as the smartphone market. But thanks to Chinese companies, which recently began releasing their tablets in India, the options improved. So did the competition, resulting in tablets that offer better specifications at aggressive prices. A look at the Vivo Pad 2 specifications and you will know that it can easily suit the needs of creators, students, and even those users who need a tablet just for binge-watching.

Before I talk about why bringing the Vivo Pad 2 to India makes sense, let us get the specifications of the tablet out of our way.

The Vivo Pad 2 is available in two RAM configurations and three colours – Clear Sea Blue, Far Away Mountain Ash/Grey, and Nebula Purple. The tablet is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC, uses a Mali-G710 10-core GPU, and includes up to 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 512GB UFS 3.1 storage. It feaures a 10,000mAh battery and runs on the OriginOS 3 which is based on Android 13.

Coming to display, the newly launched tablet comes with a 2.1-inch LCD screen with a 2.8K resolution (2800×1968 pixels) and a refresh rate of 144Hz. The screen offers a peak brightness of 600 nits and supports HDR10. In addition to this, the tablet can support a stylus and keyboard. On the camera front, the tablet has a circular camera module on the back with houses a 13MP primary sensor and a 2MP macro lens along with an LED flash unit. Furthermore, there is an 8MP selfie camera on the front.

Vivo’s sister brands Oppo, OnePlus, and Realme have already launched their tablets in India. However, Vivo has refrained from launching its tablet here, while in China, it has come up with a second version of its tablet. If it is some business strategy, then it is not good news for tablet customers in India, who, by the way, have a small assortment to choose their next tablet model from. The entry of the Vivo Pad 2 will give them more choices, especially in the premium market where Samsung solely dominates the Android market and Apple the overall market.

In China, Vivo Pad 2 is available at a starting price of CNY 2,499 which is approximately Rs 29,800. At around Rs 30,000, the Vivo Pad 2 can undercut Samsung’s top-end Galaxy Tab and the recent one from Lenovo. OnePlus is coming up with its first tablet for around Rs 40,000 in India later this month. Vivo’s tablet would undercut that, as well, and offer as many features. The bottom line is that the tablet market in India has seen a long stagnation and now that Chinese smartphone brands are bringing new tablets, there is no reason for them to restrict their availability to just China and not bring them to India. It’s a win-win for both brands and customers.