JioPhone Next, Reliance's Affordable 4G Smartphone, On Sale From Diwali At Rs 6,499; To Be Available At Rs 1,999 With EMI Plans

Reliance Jio on Friday (29 October) announced that the the much-anticipated JioPhone Next, the made-for-India smartphone jointly designed by Google and Jio, will be available in stores from Diwali.

The company claimed that the JioPhone Next be the most affordable smartphone anywhere in the world with an entry price of only Rs 1,999 and the rest paid via easy EMI over 18 or 24 months.

Retail pricing for the JioPhone Next without installments is Rs 6,499.

The affordable device runs Pragati OS - an optimised version of Android. The Pragati OS, according to the company, is tailored to deliver a simplified and delightful experience for users in India.

Google and Jio have worked closely to create this OS that is aimed at addressing the unique needs of millions of smartphone users across the country.

According to the company statement, the JioPhone Next will be available across the country at Reliance Retail’s extensive network of JioMart Digital retail locations.

The device includes a 5.45-inch LCD with HD+ resolution, Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 processor with 2GB RAM and 32GB expandable storage. There’s an 8MP front camera and a 13MP rear module and a microUSB charging port. The battery is rated at 3,500 mAh.

Speaking on the occasion, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman & Managing Director, Reliance Industries said, “I am delighted that Google and Jio teams have succeeded in bringing this breakthrough device to Indian consumers in time for the festival season, inspite of the current global supply chain challenges caused by the Covid pandemic".

"I have always been a firm believer in the power of the Digital Revolution to enrich, enable and empower the lives of 1.35 billion Indians. We have done it in the past with connectivity. Now we are enabling it again with a smartphone device," he said.

Commenting on this milestone, Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google and Alphabet, said, “The JioPhone Next is an affordable smartphone designed for India, inspired by the belief that everyone in India should benefit from the opportunities the internet creates. To build it, our teams had to work together to solve complex engineering and design challenges, and I’m excited to see how millions of people will use these devices to better their lives and communities".