In a market where 2G is predominant, one of Asia’s largest telecom companies has introduced a groundbreaking mobile phone that aims to persuade millions of Indian consumers to upgrade to 4G. The Jio Bharat, priced at a mere 999 Indian Rupees (£10, US$12, AU$18), currently holds the title of the world’s most affordable 4G handset.
Although technically not a smartphone, the Jio Bharat incorporates several key features that are offered by mainstream mobile operating systems like Android. It enables users to handle mobile payments through Reliance’s support for UPI, an instant payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India. Additionally, it offers JioCinema and JioSaavn, the company’s proprietary movie and music services. However, it does not support popular applications like Facebook or WhatsApp, which have become integral to modern smartphones.
The design of the Jio Bharat resembles the traditional candybar dumb phones, featuring a 1.77-inch color screen and supporting a 128GB microSD card, as the internal memory is only 48MB. It also includes a 1000 mAh battery and a VGA camera. Unlike many flagship smartphones on the market today, a charger is bundled with the device.
To complement the Jio Bharat, Jio Platform has launched a new monthly plan priced at 123 Indian Rupees per month or 1234 Indian Rupees per year. The plan offers 14GB of data usage, unlimited voice calls, and messages; however, the data does not rollover. The phone is also locked, preventing the usage of another SIM card.
“The new Jio Bharat phone is…at the center of innovation, and it continues to demonstrate our focus on bringing disproportionate and true value for different segments of users with meaningful, real-life use cases,” stated Akash Ambani, the founder and chairman of Jio.
The start of something big
This development in India’s mobile market could have significant implications worldwide. With potentially tens of millions of new 4G connections in the coming months (the total addressable market stands at around 250 million), other companies are now partnering with Reliance, Jio Platform’s parent company, to manufacture affordable 4G handsets.
As a result, Indian phone manufacturer Karbonn has also launched a rugged ‘smartphone’ priced at 999 Indian Rupees, similar to the Jio Bharat. This move may help drive down the price of entry-level Android-based devices globally. Jio’s own Jiophone Next, priced at approximately five times the cost of the Bharat, remains too expensive for many consumers.
While the number of mobile 4G users is still relatively small compared to the total number of mobile users, the rapid expansion of 4G connectivity offers an opportunity to increase average revenue per user. Fast and always-available internet access will provide countless opportunities for some of the world’s poorest individuals in the most populous country.
From gig operators to freelancers, one-person bands to small businesses, the ability to communicate, capture data, and make payments through mobile devices will significantly reduce the cost of digital transformation.
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Alex Smith is a writer and editor with over 10 years of experience. He has written extensively on a variety of topics, including technology, business, and personal finance. His work has been published in a number of magazines and newspapers, and he is also the author of two books. Alex is passionate about helping people learn and grow, and he believes that writing is a powerful tool for communication and understanding.
