Business Desk News Edition 24: Reliance Jio is gearing up to launch JioPhone on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on 10th September. The ultra-affordable smartphone was announced by Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani at its 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM).
JioPhone Next has been developed in collaboration with Google. It is likely to be the most affordable smartphone in India or globally. The phone will come with some customized unique features for Indian users. The smartphone is expected to come with real-time translation.
Specs & Features
From the images shared by Reliance during its AGM, it can be seen that the smartphone will feature sizable bezels on both the top and bottom. The smartphone will feature a single-lens 13-megapixel primary rear camera and an 8-megapixel front selfie camera.
Various leaks suggest that the device will feature a 5.5-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 720×1,440 pixels. It could be powered by the Snapdragon 215 SoC and could be paired with up to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. Apart from this, the JioPhone Next may come with a 2500mAh battery. It will run on Android 11 Go Edition.
Price and Finance Options
According to various reports, there will be two JioPhone Next models. One will be the basic JioPhone Next, which will cost Rs 5,000 and the other will be the JioPhone Next Advanced, which costs Rs 7,000. The exact price of JioPhone Next is not yet clear, however, the company has emphasized that JioPhone Next will be the cheapest Android smartphone in the world.
According to ET Now, Reliance Jio will partner with several Indian banks and lending partners to sell JioPhone Next through different payment modes. Reliance is partnering with several banks which include State Bank of India, Piramal Capital, IDFC First Assure, and DMI Finance. These banks will play a vital role in bringing down the starting price of the instruments.
Customers who want to buy any of these smartphones will not need to pay the total amount in one go. They can pay only 10 percent of the total amount i.e. Rs.500 for the Basic model and Rs.700 for the Advance model and the balance will have to be paid in installments to the bank or lending partner.