Jio tipped for affordable smartphone move

Details: Manny Pham; Category: Devices & Platforms; 22 September 2020; 6125 views

Reliance Industries asked Indian suppliers to manufacture up to 200 million smartphones over the next two years, in an enhanced move into the Indian devices market.

Bloomberg sources said Reliance Industries is manufacturing a smartphone that will retail at INR4,000 ($54), run Android, bear the Jio branding, and will be marketed with low-priced plans from the company’s operator Reliance Jio.

The company is targeting to manufacture 150 to 200 million units of this smartphone which will have a major impact on the India market. At the end of 2019, 148.2 million smartphones were sold in the country with mainly Chinese vendors dominating market share, stated Canalys figures.

If proven true, Reliance Industries will do battle with established vendors such as market leader Xiaomi, Vivo, Samsung, Oppo, and Realme.

Xiaomi has a clear grip on the Indian market with a 30 per cent market share, shipping 5.3 million units in Q2 2020. Rival Bharti Airtel was reportedly manufacturing its own 4G device.

Bloomberg noted the apparent plans would align with the Indian government’s current drive to spur domestic manufacturing, and could provide a boost to local manufacturers such as Dixon Technologies India, Lava International and Karbonn Mobiles.