JioBharat (smartphones)

History

2024: Announcement of cheap models JioBharat V3 and JioBharat V4

In mid-October 2024, it became known that the Indian market was being seized by ultra-budget smartphones with support for 4G mobile communications. The cost of such devices is at the level of 1100 rupees, or about $13 (as of the specified date).

According to TechCrunch, the Indian multinational technology company Jio Platforms, part of Reliance Holding, announced the JioBharat V3 and JioBharat V4 smartphones, the price of which is within $15. The secret of the low cost lies in the technical characteristics: the devices received a 1.77-inch display, only 48 MB of RAM, 128 MB of internal flash memory and a 1000 mA·ch battery. Thus, these smartphones are capable of providing only basic communication capabilities.

𝓲

Smartprix.com

It is said that the release of JioBharat V3 and JioBharat V4 represents a strategic step for Jio Platform to capture "the next 100 million users in India" - those for whom even a $50 smartphone remains unavailable. It is noted that the emergence of super-budget 4G devices will help local residents switch to faster cellular networks. The fact is that as of October 2024, hundreds of millions of Indians are still tied to 2G services.

Jio Platforms, supported by technology corporations such as Google and Meta (recognized as an extremist organization; activities in the Russian Federation are prohibited), dominates the telecommunications market in India with 490 million paid subscribers. The company's success is largely due to sales of inexpensive push-button phones. JioBharat V3 and JioBharat V4 smartphones will only work on the Jio network. The monthly tariff plan, which includes phone calls and 14 GB of Internet traffic, will be about $1.5.^[1]

Notes