- India’s Reliance Jio network appears to be launching a 5G phone under $ 70.
- The phone will sell for around $ 34 if sales pick up.
India’s budget smartphone segment is arguably the most competitive in the world. Brands like Xiaomi, Realme, Oppo and Samsung are trying to gain market share. The country doesn’t have 5G connectivity yet, but it could still host the cheapest 5G phones.
The Business hours reports that Indian operator Reliance Jio plans to launch a 5G smartphone with an initial price of just Rs 5,000 (~ $ 68), citing a company official who wanted to remain anonymous. This would already be the cheapest 5G phone in the world by far, but it is believed that the company could cost up to Rs 2,500 (~ USD 34) if production and sales gain momentum.
“Jio would like to bring the device for less than Rs 5,000. If we increase sales, the price can be anywhere from 2,500 to 3,000 rupees, ”the official was quoted as saying.
Reliance Jio is no stranger to budget phones. A few years ago, the 4G launched Jio Phone for 1,500 rupees (~ $ 20) and brought a lot of people to 4G. This alleged 5G phone could very well get a lot of people on 5G when it finally lands in India. However, it’s worth noting that there is still a lack of high-speed 4G in many parts of the country. Hence, the network will have a major challenge when the 5G rollout is similarly limited.
A $ 34 to $ 68 5G phone would still be exponentially cheaper than the cheapest 5G phones right now. Some of the cheapest 5G phones are limited to China and include the ~ $ 240 Redmi 10X and the ~ $ 210 Realme V3 5G.
However, there is no word on the operating system for this apparent 5G phone as the JioPhone 4G uses the KaiOS Smart Feature platform. However, Google recently invested in Jio, and the duo have announced plans to develop and release a budget-conscious version of Android.
Next: I spent a week with a $ 17 KaiOS phone – here’s what I learned