Reliance Jio to launch Rs 500 feature phone today
Reliance Jio is expected to launch its much-rumored and awaited feature phone today. According to speculations, the company may price the smartphone at Rs 500. The company has reportedly tied up with domestic smartphone brand Intex for the manufacturing of the feature phone.
Earlier this week a report in Economic Times claimed that the co-developed phone will be priced by Jio through a subsidy mode. Intex is likely to manufacture the phones in India.
Indian telecom industry seems set for yet another disruption. Reports are rife that Reliance Jio is readying another onslaught on rival telecom companies with its Rs 500 feature phone. The phone appears aimed at luring 2G buyers to graduate to the company's 4G VoLTE network. Here's all the buzz about the upcoming phones.
Announcement likely on July 21 at RIL AGM
According to report in Economic Times, quoting sources, Reliance Jio may announce its Rs 500 4G VoLTE phone at parent Reliance Industries' annual general meeting (AGM), which is scheduled for July 21.
May run on Spreadtrum Communications processor
According to previous reports, the phone may run on processors from Shanghai-based Spreadtrum Communications. The company has seen a steady growth in baseband chip segment and competes with mobile chip makers such as MediaTek and Qualcomm. The company has a two-year-old partnership with Reliance Industries and has powered its LYF Flame 5 smartphone.
Reliance Jio subsiding phone by Rs 690-Rs 975
As per HSBC note, since Reliance Jio is likely to price the feature phone at Rs 500 (sub$8) this means that the company is subsidising each handset by as much as $1015 (Rs 650975). Some previous reports had pegged the Jio phone's price at Rs 1,000..
Sales to start on August 28
According to the ET report, the shipments for the 4G phone should begin from July-end or earlyAugust. The company is looking at Independence Day (August 28) as the possible launch date for the phones.
Analysts are also expecting Reliance Jio to announce new tariff plans with aggressive pricepoints at the upcoming AGM. The company's 84 day Dhan Dhana Dhan offer, which was announced on April 11, too is nearing close.
Reliance Jio to offer new data plans starting at Rs 80-90
Besides its Dhan Dhana Dhan offer, Reliance Jio also has other plans that start at around Rs 150 a month. The company is now speculated to introduce new traiff plans at as low as Rs 8090 for the same period with an aim to bring down the average revenue per user (ARPU),” he said. Under the Dhan Dhana Dhan plan, Jio is offering free voice, unlimited SMS and access to Jio apps, and 1or 2 GB of daily data for a onetime payment of Rs 309 or Rs 509, respectively, to its Prime members, who paid a onetime fee of Rs 99.
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