Reliance (parent company of Jio) was all set to launch its all-new affordable JioPhone next on Ganesh Chaturthi this year but they changed that through a press release one day before the scheduled launch day. Reliance announced that the JioPhone Next rollout will commence before Diwali, which is scheduled for November 4th this year. The phone is currently in advanced trials and will be open to the public anytime before Diwali.
Jio in its press release mentioned, “this additional time will also help mitigate the current industry-wide, global semiconductor shortages.” This indicates that the delay in the launch of the JioPhone Next seems to be from a global semiconductor shortage. This is a global issue that has hit multiple industries, from smartphones to automobiles to video game consoles, and it is likely that this is the main cause for the delay in the rollout of the affordable smartphone.
Jio also mentions the main reason they got into the smartphone business is to give poor people a path from 2G to faster speeds while also staying within their budget. Jio mentioned, “The device and the operating system will offer premium capabilities that have until now been associated with more powerful smartphones, including voice-first features that enable people to consume content and navigate the phone in their own language, deliver a great camera experience, and get the latest Android feature and security updates.”
We already know that Jio is working with major brands like Google to make this phone possible. Reliance had suggested that it will offer mainstream services like a fully-fledged PlayStore at the price of the feature phone. Its main audience demographic is people who can’t spend more than Rs 3000-4000 on a phone and that’s what the tipped pricing of the device is.
JioPhone Next Specifications
We have not received a lot of official specs from Jio themselves but we do know a few minor details. The phone will of course feature 4G connectivity which is the main attraction of this device against the competitors. It will also have Read Aloud and Translate Now features, to make it more accessible to users. The phone also comes preloaded with Google Play and India-specific Snapchat lenses. The phone, based on renders is said to feature very thick bezels which are accepted from a phone at this price. We can also see one camera on the front and back.
As per the leaks, we do have some more information. The phone is said to feature a 5.55-inch display and is to feature Android 11 GO. We are also expecting a Qualcomm QM215 SoC, a 2,500mAh battery, dual-SIM support, and 2GB or 3GB RAM options, along with 16GB or 32GB storage options.
The JioPhone next is expected to blow away the market with the value for money aspect and it will be very interesting to see what makes it to the actual device, and more importantly, it’s pricing!
