‘Smart TVs are slowing down, and Lumio is here to change that:’ Co-Founder Kailash S | Technology News

Lumio is entering the smart TV market with two models—Vision 7 and Vision 9. The Lumio Vision 7 comes in three different sizes (43-inch, 50-inch, and 55-inch), featuring a 4K resolution screen with QLED technology, while the Vision 9 comes with a 55-inch 4K mini-LED panel “DOPE display” with better colours, contrast, and brightness.

Vision 9 is the flagship smart TV with mini LED screen. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)

With up to 400 nits of peak brightness, 83 per cent Rec. 2020 colour gamut, 115 per cent DCI-P3 colour gamut, and 1.08 ΔE colour accuracy along with Dolby Vision support, Lumio claims to offer a best-in-class entertainment experience. Similarly, the Lumio 9 offers up to 900 nits of peak brightness, 80 per cent Rec. 2020 colour gamut, and 110 per cent DCI-P3 colour gamut along with Dolby Vision and local dimming support.

Both models are equipped with a flagship processor, which the company calls the “Flagship BOSS Processor,” along with 3 GB of RAM, which is said to make these smart TVs at least twice as fast as the competition in tasks like boot speed, app opening speed, and wireless networking capabilities. Both models are equipped with a 30W speaker unit with support for Dolby Atmos.

All four variants will be available for pre-order starting April 23 to 30, and will come with 3 year warranty (2 year comprehensive warranty + 1 year extended warranty).

These televisions run on Google TV OS, and the brand is promising two major OS upgrades with two years of warranty.

The remote has a dedicated TLDR button. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)

Indianexpress.com caught up with Kailash S, chief operating officer (COO) and co-founder of Circuit House Technologies, to understand how Lumio came to be, what sets it apart, and how they’re planning to win Indian consumer trust in a category where after-sales support and performance matter more than anything else. From the origin of the name to why they aren’t chasing the gaming crowd just yet, here are excerpts from the conversation with Kailash—and what to expect from this India-based consumer technology startup.

Q: Firstly, why the name Lumio?

Kailash S: Our ambition was to be a leading light in the home entertainment space, so we started looking at metaphors around light. “Lum” comes from lumen, which signifies light, and “IO” represents input/output — something fundamental to every smart device. Together, they formed “Lumio”.

Lumio Vision compared to other high-end smart TVs. (Express Photo)

Q: How long did it take from the initial idea to the final product?

Kailash S: Roughly nine months of intense development. But the ideation began even earlier. By June-July last year, we had landed on a clear product direction, and from there, it’s been a sprint to get everything ready for launch.

Q: How big is the Smart TV market in India, and what’s your target?

Kailash S: The Indian Smart TV market is currently about 13–14 million units annually. A significant shift towards premium 4K TVs has been observed — they now make up more than 70 per cent of the market. We’re launching exclusively in the 4K segment, specifically in the mid-premium range. Our first wave includes three sizes — 43, 50, and 55 inches, in both QLED and mini LED variants.

Q: You’re calling the first model “Lumio 7 and 9”. Is there a specific naming strategy?

Kailash S: We’re thinking long-term. “Lumio 7 and 9” are our flagships, but we are leaving room for a broader product portfolio — think “Lumio 5”, “Lumio 3”, etc., for different segments. It gives us a structure to scale meaningfully.

Savage performance. Stunning visuals. pic.twitter.com/nMGiQpJsRK

— Lumio (@LumioIN) April 4, 2025

Q: What would you say is the standout feature of a Lumio TV?

Kailash S: Performance. Most TVs today are slowing down, and it’s frustrating. Over 50–60 million TVs in India are already laggy. We’ve fixed that. Our TVs come with the best chipsets available in the segment — something you usually see only in top-tier models.

Q: There’s a dedicated app called “TLDR” on your TVs. Can you tell us more about it?

Kailash S: TLDR is our exclusive app, preloaded on Lumio TVs. You’ll even find a dedicated button for it on the remote. It’s designed to help users discover great content quickly — kind of like content discovery reimagined. Right now, it’s exclusive to Lumio, but yes, in the future, we’d love to expand it — maybe even bring it to mobile.

Lumio Vision technical specifications. (Express Photo)

Q: How difficult is it to build a Smart TV brand in a competitive market like India?

Kailash S: It’s definitely not easy. If you look at the market today, you’ll find popular top-of-mind brands like Samsung, LG, and others. Many other names you hear are licensed brands, not built from the ground up. This is a high-involvement category. Consumers are spending significant amounts and expect real value. We knew this would be tough, but we were prepared. Our team comes with deep expertise — from Xiaomi, Samsung, Philips, and others.

The formula is straightforward: build a great product that solves a real consumer pain point, and then build a compelling narrative and positioning around it. And do that consistently. It’ll take years, but we’re in it for the long haul.

Q: Many consumer tech brands have entered and exited the Smart TV space quickly. Why should consumers trust Lumio?

Kailash S: That’s a very valid concern, and it’s something we anticipated. That’s why we’ve gone ahead and partnered with some of the best names in the industry to deliver on quality and service. For manufacturing, we’ve teamed up with Dixon — a known and trusted player.

On the service front, we already have a pan-India network ready to go with over 300 service centres covering 19,000 pin codes. We’re also offering a two-year comprehensive warranty right out of the box.

The team behind Lumio isn’t new to the game. We’ve built and scaled businesses before. We’re not experimenting — we’re committing, and we’re here to stay.

Q: While you’re launching on Amazon, Indian consumers still love the “touch and feel” aspect of electronics. Any offline plans?

Kailash S: At this stage, we’re focused on perfecting our presence in one channel — online. That said, we understand the importance of offline experiences, and we are exploring ways to allow consumers to experience our TVs physically. This might not necessarily be through traditional retail — there are innovative ways to address this. We’ll keep evaluating as we grow.

Q: You mentioned a large service network. Will Lumio have its own exclusive centres?

Kailash S: Not exclusive. We’re partnering with an established service network infrastructure to provide comprehensive coverage and ensure support is always within reach.