The ThinkPad, one of the oldest commercial laptop brands in the world, was first released by IBM and bought by Lenovo in 2005. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the brand. In the corporate world, the ThinkPad is renowned for its distinctive style and form factor. However, the ThinkPad form factor has also changed over time, and Lenovo just unveiled the foldable ThinkPad X1 Fold. In order to better understand Lenovo’s strategy, its emphasis on sustainability with the ThinkPad line, and what the firm sees for the brand’s future, Dilip Bhatia spoke with Indian Express. He is Lenovo’s Chief Customer Experience Officer and VP of User & Customer Experience. An edited transcript of the conversation is given below.
On new features in upcoming ThinkPad models
With the ThinkPad Z series, we have already introduced a contemporary design with many sustainability features while maintaining the essential character, including a vegan leather finish. Even individuals who are blind or visually challenged can use ThinkPad computers because to its design. This explains why the functions keys are arranged in groups of four, TrackPoint is simple to use, and the arrow keys are positioned significantly lower. These elements all contribute to the relevance of our solutions for both current users and potential new customers.
Lenovo’s take on sustainable products
There is a user-replaceable SSD in the future Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold. The industry’s most easily repaired gadgets are thought to be ThinkPads. In addition, Lenovo is emphasising plastic-free packaging for next goods, such as the ThinkPad X1 Fold.
On the evolution of the laptop and consumer PC segment
Since the 1992 release of the first ThinkPad, we have led the market with several advances. In terms of PCs, Lenovo is currently in the lead, while ThinkPad is the market leader in the commercial sector. In everything we do, we keep our customers in mind. Lenovo uses insights communities to hear from and learn from its consumers in order to enhance customer experiences. We also use big data analytics to analyse customer comments from Flipkart and Amazon to better understand their sentiment.
On Lenovo’s approach to consumer demands, including from those who want portable and powerful devices
When it comes to computer gadgets, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We have many product teams with varied requirements in mind. We have a gaming team that is solely dedicated to serving gamers. We have a team for small businesses, a team for consumers, and our commercial clients.
On the concept of foldable laptops
In 2021, Lenovo released the ThinkPad X1 Fold of the first generation. However, fold was first conceptualised in the laboratory in 2015–16. To make the first-generation ThinkPad X1 Fold slimmer and lighter, the business has received positive comments. The forthcoming ThinkPad X1 Fold has the identical design.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 2022 and its possible India launch
It is about to debut in India. More than 200 million ThinkPads have been sold by the company, and we’ll keep listening to customers to improve. The gadgets’ overall ecosystem functionality will improve as they become lighter and thinner. Even if it isn’t used as a primary device, a foldable laptop will still be useful to some people.
