Evolution of Electronic Devices & Technology in India

In the modern era, electronics is one of the important aspects of communication systems. In India, the electronic industry played a huge role in revolutionizing the communication process. In the early 70s, the use of electronic devices was only restricted to basic, one-way communication. Radio and telephones were the most used electronic devices at that time. The liberalization of the Indian economy in 1991 made a positive impact on the electronics industry in India and opened opportunities for the electronics industry to thrive and grow. 

From telephones to smartphones 

Do you remember when the mobile phone in your pocket became your basic need? Mobile phones in India came into use in the late 90s and were developed for audio communication only. 

The early mobile phones launched in India were made by electronic companies like Nokia, Motorola, Blueberry, etc. These phones were widely accepted by the Indian consumer and were quite popular at that time. They were seen as a status symbol since calling was expensive. 

The transformation of the mobile phone industry began soon with various companies like Reliance, Tata Docomo, Essar, BSNL, Idea, Aircel & Vodafone launching their network services.

The usage of mobile also changed with technological advancement. Keypad phones were replaced by touch phones which had a better operating system called Android. The ever-growing popularity of the internet pushed the development and evolution of the Android operating system. The paradigm shift in network service providing happened in 2016 when Reliance launched the network service provider named Jio. Jio revolutionized the network service market by launching an affordable data service and easy internet accessibility. Other services soon sensed the changing market & followed Jio's footsteps.

This internet revolution made inexpensive mobile phones available to common Indian people. These smartphones, for most of the Indians, served as their first PCs. These user-friendly smartphones opened the gate of information and knowledge wide open to millions of illiterate people living in the country. 

From a TV Set to a flat screen!

Two decades ago, who could have thought of television as flat as a window glass that can be mounted on a wall?

In India, Television service, famously called Doordarshan, was started in the mid-70s by the Government entity called AIR ( All India Radio ) The early TV set was nothing but a large, heavy box. Onida, Phillips, Mitsubishi, and BPL were some of the popular TV set brands. Until the liberalization of the Indian economy, television content was mainly controlled by the Government and was only catering news and informative content to the audience. Post-liberalization, things started to change. Color TVs were gaining popularity and were made available to the Indian audience at an affordable price.

When user experience gained importance over information, it resulted in the rise of LCD & plasma TVs. These TVs were lightweight, large in screen size & flat which can be mounted on the wall. This was followed by LED TVs which were more advanced and smart as compared to their predecessors. LED technology rapidly gained popularity & brands like Samsung, Sony, LG & Panasonic led their way in the Indian market. Nowadays, smart LED TVs like QLED & OLED can be seen in common Indian households. These smart TVs with seamless internet connection and smart features are now becoming a tool to explore web content. In the era of personalization, TV still holds relevance as a social gathering equipment. With a smart touch of technology and the internet connection, it has brought knowledge of the world on a big screen. 

Technological advancement in Computing  

Charles Babbage made the first automatic computing engine which can only do simple maths steps. However, the real technological advancement started with the introduction of ENIAC in 1945. It was termed as the 1st complete computer. It can not only do simple calculations but also can hold some memory up to 10 digits. In 1971, floppy disks were introduced which were to store personal computed data. In the 80s, the invention of semiconductors and the rise of computer software like Microsoft, Linux, and macOS led to the development of computers that were compact and able to perform complex tasks.

The recent trends of usage of AI, ML, IoT and blockchain are revolutionizing the way we look and perceive the computing system.

With the use of AI, a system can easily study the data and understand patterns, making the decision-making process easy and error-free. A blockchain is a type of shared database in which data is stored in blocks. It has ensured the decentralized form of the web with higher security.

Role of Electronic Devices in the consumption of digital Media 

User nowadays consumes digital media content on their personalized devices such as smartphones, tablets, etc. This digital technology has created the most prolific distribution channel for media distribution and has also forced traditional media distributors to adopt it.

Consumers have an increasing interest in spending time on social media, watching OTT platforms, and playing Online games.

Digitization has impacted the user's consumption behavior. 

India is the second-largest telecom market in the world. Over the years, India has witnessed exponential growth in the use of wireless data due to new tech. like 4G and 5G & also due to the cheap cost of internet data available to users. The wireless data usage per user per month has now reached 17 GB in dec. 2022. This has hugely impacted the way users consume the digital media. 

The research conducted by IIMA, Ahmedabad, has put forward some interesting data related to the daily usage of electronic devices. An Indian, daily spends 45 minutes on OTT platforms, 25 minutes on online gaming & 193 minutes (3 hours) on social media. The enhanced storage and computing capacity of new electronic devices is allowing users to consume more the digital media than ever before.

References :

Research paper : New age digital media consumption: An exploratory study based in India - Rajat Sharma Vikash Gautam (IIMA, Ahmedabad)

Research Paper : Telecom Regulatory Authority of India - Consultation Paper on Digital Inclusion in the Era of Emerging Technologies