Opening thoughts. I like to start our weekly conversations on a positive, happy note. At least as much as possible. Analyzing Microsoft’s fairly standard ineptitude is the last thing I would want to do to spoil your mood and mine, but well, some days are like that. We have to get over the irritation. For months, users have been telling Microsoft that they absolutely do not want Copilot AI to shut down their PCs. But Microsoft didn’t budge, and the changes to Microsoft 365 Copilot for workplace apps, including Word and PowerPoint, are the latest example of that intransigence. If Microsoft doesn’t want to listen to customers, that’s their prerogative. But one would hope that on some level common sense would prevail and they would listen to one of their biggest partners in the PC sector. Dell says very clearly that consumers don’t care about AI PCs, and they aren’t buying PCs for AI features. What’s more, Dell’s product chief Kevin Terwilliger said in an interview with PC Gamer that, “I think the AI probably confuses them more than it helps them understand a specific outcome.” It’s unlikely that Microsoft will reform its obsession with CoPilot in all things Windows. What’s your bet?
Tech Spotlight: Philips Oil Filled Radiator CX3013/01
Let me just start off by saying – “smart” doesn’t always mean Wi-Fi connectivity, a companion app, or something electrical. Winter weather continues, especially noticeable north of the Vindhyas, where winter is generally underlined by sharp temperature drops. With the northern plains, central India and eastern India once again facing harsh winters, chances are your attention has once again turned to the most efficient OFR for your home. Some of you may remember my analysis of the Nuuk Hot Blox oil-filled radiator (OFR) from a few weeks ago. This place is undoubtedly getting attention this time of year, and rightfully so. This week, we’ve got to talk about a nice offering as part of Philips’ latest line-up refresh. Prices start here at Philips’ own online store ₹Rs 13,999 for CX3011/01 (it has 11 fans) and you have to pay ₹Rs 15,999 for the 13 Fin CX3013/01 model. The latter is the one we’re analyzing today, a slightly better fit for larger indoor spaces like integrated meeting and dining room hall spaces. Keep in mind, the first is more than ideal for a separate living room or dining space or even a large bedroom.
The Philips Oil Filled Radiator CX3013/01 takes a fairly simple approach to the proposition, which is rare in this day and age. While the Nuuk’s 11 fin OFR sports impressive Wi-Fi capabilities and smart app connectivity for management as well as monitoring, Philips is keeping it simple without any smart home integration and instead using that bandwidth to power the blower. This combination really increases the heating efficiency, as well as the speed at which it makes a large indoor space comfortable on Delhi NCR’s frequent (very) cold nights. It’s your choice – smartphone app connectivity, or a heat blower. I would prefer Philips’ approach to heating versatility on any winter day.
OFR these days are starting to use what they call an “M-shaped fan” design, which they say provides up to 30% faster heating than traditional, flat design fans. This claim is true in the real world, and apparently so. Additionally, the integration of a positive temperature coefficient ceramic (PTC) rod-based blower heater helps deliver this heat throughout the room much faster. Also convenient, if it’s a large group of people, more people can rest somewhere around the heater. There are five adjustable heating levels, with power consumption rated between 400-watts and 2800-watts depending on what you set it at. There is no display on the OFR – perhaps something displaying the set temperature level, or the ambient room temperature, might be useful. But it might have been too close to the PTC blower.
The Philips Oil Filled Radiator CX3013/01 is extremely well built, and this will be a significant long-term advantage over its lower-priced rivals – they may seem better value now, but when the build starts to deteriorate, not so much. Philips has left no cards on the table to give it the complete package of not only fast room heating performance but also a clearly premium high temperature resistant finish. The little things matter – the castor wheels are really high quality, and there’s a cord winder integrated into the design to neatly store the power cable, elements that are unmissable. While the usability and value checklist has certainly been ticked off, it’s time for Philips to seriously consider the ‘smart’ element too. It would have been the proverbial cherry on the cake.
Editor’s Margin: Cashback Card in Your Wallet
You may have noticed this, maybe not. I did, and you have nothing to worry about. What I’m trying to say is – isn’t India’s credit card story turning upside down? While most markets have evolved from credit cards to digital payments through their phones (or smartwatches, in some cases, such as Samsung’s Galaxy Watch range), banks and fintechs in India are busy convincing the UPI-educated population that the feeling of plastic (or in the case of some cards, metal) still matters. The question is not whether co-branded credit cards can survive in a country that does over 2,000 crore UPI transactions monthly – it is a habit, and can the lure of cashback push more users to switch to the card at least for some transactions?
The numbers will immediately tell you a contradictory story. India’s 11.16 crore active credit cards look impressive until you put them against China’s 70 crore or the US’s 82 crore. But this is where I argue that we’re probably measuring something that’s pretty obvious anyway. In a country where UPI has democratized payments with zero merchant fees (although this is changing, especially for Rupay cards on UPI) and instant settlements, credit cards must not only compete on convenience, but they also have to overcome a major challenge that I see emerging from conversations I have had with people – most people do not understand the nuanced workings of credit cards, especially due dates, minimum payment amounts, carry forwards and interest rates on that, etc.
This is where the co-branded model reveals its true ambition. Banks are not partnering with Flipkart, Airtel or PhonePe just to offer rewards; They are hoping to incorporate credit into the daily rituals of Digital India. When Tata New and HDFC Bank celebrate the issuance of 2 million cards, they are not just counting the plastic sent to users through couriers – they are counting those who have crossed the threshold from cash and debit to formal credit. While formal credit penetration is extremely low, these partnerships are not loyalty programs but gateways to building that credit economy. Yet there lies a fragility here. The devaluation of IndusInd EasyDiner credit card benefits last year penalized genuine users after widespread gaming of the system – highlighting the weaknesses of some of the structures of rewards-driven loyalty. The risk here is that, when a value proposition is arbitrarily modified (I don’t often blame banks, but as a consumer, you have a right to feel shortchanged; especially for paid cards), you are not building loyalty. Axis Bank’s Arnika Dixit’s emphasis on “habitual use” rather than “intense rewards” shows that the industry is learning this lesson, albeit slowly. The future is not of the highest cashback, but of the most inevitable integration
When BOBCARD’s Ravindra Rai speaks of co-branded cards as “entry points for first-time credit users”, he is describing not just a business strategy but a social experiment in financial inclusion. Perhaps the most profound change is philosophical. Banks are being forced to admit what fintech founders intuitively know – in the India market, no single institution’s balance sheet can meet the country’s credit appetite. The collaboration between Google Pay, PhonePe, CRED and traditional banks is not just business practicality or a mere foray, but coming together to build India’s credit future that can be distributed, platform-native. Then again, co-branded credit cards are less of a product and more of a revolution. Something that more than one organization hopes will succeed.
Car Corner: China is where common sense prevails
The calculation of china door handles should not be taken lightly. The country’s intention to ban powered door handles on all passenger cars weighing under 3.5 tonnes (i.e. less than 3,500 kg) is an implementation of common sense over the pursuit of technology-driven aesthetics that often fails in crush moments. From 2027, passenger cars sold in China must have mechanical door handles as we have known them for years. At least until technological advancements convinced car companies to integrate powered handles that slide out when the car is unlocked and then retract to remain flush with the rest of the bodywork. Looks nice, but it potentially becomes a nightmare in terms of a rescue scenario in the event of a car accident – the power goes haywire at that stage, and those lovely door handles won’t come out (that reminds me, I also have problems with electronic parking brakes – always prefer buying cars with manual handbrake systems).
China’s Ministry of Information and Technology (MIIT) is right in making the choice for car makers who cannot afford to choose true-function over form factor, as safety is paramount. One would hope that these proposed rules would see the light of day in this iteration. The draft also specifies standards for door handle releases as well as vehicle power-off systems, and handle placement specifications. From what I have read in Chinese media, online reaction from citizens has been mostly in support of this draft resolution. Car manufacturers don’t need to hide door handles to make cars beautiful. I hope most of these people working in car companies will not move to aviation. They would probably create some kind of nightmare for the flight crew. It’s time for car makers in India to take note too, let me make a guess? Some carmakers are on this path, the new Mahindra XUV 7XO being an example.
