The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
MUMBAI, OCT 29, 2021
Telecom major Jio and Google on Friday said that their much-anticipated affordable smartphone ‘JioPhone Next’ will be available in stores from Diwali, adding to the festival cheer in the country.
The made-for-India smartphone, jointly designed by the two companies, will be available at an entry price of only Rs 1,999 and the rest amount can be paid via easy EMI over 18 or 24 months.
The affordable smartphone can also be purchased upfront without financing for only Rs 6,499.
With features that are unprecedented in any phone in this category, JioPhone Next will be available across the country at Reliance Retail’s extensive network of JioMart Digital retail locations.
Speaking on the occasion, Reliance Industries Ltd. Chairman & Managing Director Mukesh D Ambani 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 added.
The RIL chief further said: “Among the many rich features of JioPhone Next, the one that has impressed me the most — and one that will empower common Indians the most and take their digital journeys to the next level — is its contribution to India’s linguistic integration. India’s unique strength is our linguistic diversity. Those Indians who might not be able to read content in English or in their language can get it translated, and even read out, in their own language on this smart device. It makes me proud to say that we are bridging the gap between ‘India’ and ‘Bharat, because ‘BHARAT’ Karega Digital Pragati – PRAGATI OS Ke Saath’.”
Commenting on this milestone, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai 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.”
