Reliance Jio unveiled its first smartphone earlier this year, in collaboration with Google. The JioPhone Next is intended for people who want to move from a feature phone to a smartphone without spending a lot of money. The original JioPhone was introduced in 2017 as "India ka phone" to offer around 50 crore feature phone users a 4G device at a very low price. Here a quick rundown of the phones that Reliance Jio has launched so far.
Read More: Acer 4K Ultra HD Android Smart LED TV (50-inch) review
JioPhone was launched in 2017
Unlike the second version of the JioPhone, the original JioPhone has a small screen and a numeric keypad. The device is made entirely of plastic and features a 2.4-inch QVGA display. It comes pre-installed with KaiOS.
This is a feature phone, but it also has some smart capabilities. One can use this JioPhone to access Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, JioTV, JioCinema, and other apps. It even includes a voice assistant. According to the company's website, this phone can also be connected to a TV via a JioMediaCable.
The 4G device comes with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage. There is a single 2MP rear camera and a VGA front camera sensor in terms of optics. This one is powered by a 2,000mAh battery.
Read More: Flipkart Big Diwali sale 2021: Offers on phones, laptops, and earphones
The original JioPhone costs Rs 1,999 in India, and for the same price, you get free unlimited voice calls to all networks and 2GB of high-speed data every month without having to pay anything extra. It should be noted that this unlimited offer will be valid for two years only, after which you will be required to purchase JioPhone prepaid plans.
If you buy the device for Rs 1,499, Reliance Jio will give you a year of free unlimited voice calls and 2GB of data. It is important to note that if you use all of your 2GB data, you will still be able to browse the internet, but at a slower speed.
JioPhone 2 launched in 2018
Reliance Jio released an updated version of the JioPhone in 2018. The JioPhone 2 is also a 4G feature phone with dual-SIM support (Nano). It has the same 2.4-inch QVGA display and is pre-loaded with KaiOS.
However, unlike some feature phones on the market, this one has a QWERTY keypad. It also has a four-way navigation key and a dedicated voice command button. Similar to the original JioPhone, users will be able to use Google Assistant, YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, and other apps.
It has 512MB of RAM and a massive 4GB of internal storage. Reliance Jio also allows you to expand your storage by up to 128GB using an SD card. The device has a 2MP single camera and a VGA front camera sensor for photography. It is powered by the same 2,000mAh battery. VoLTE, VoWiFi, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth, torchlight, and FM radio are all supported. The JioPhone 2 is priced at Rs 2,999 on the official website.
JioPhone Next launched in 2021
The company did not launch a feature phone in 2019, but we did see the launch of a smartphone earlier this year. The JioPhone Next is Reliance Jio first smartphone, and it runs Pragati OS, an optimised version of Android designed specifically for Indian users. The device was created in collaboration with Google to provide a low-cost smartphone to users on a tight budget.
The JioPhone Next has a 5.45-inch HD+ (7201,440 pixels) display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and an anti-fingerprint coating. It is powered by a 1.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 quad-core processor manufactured on a 28nm process. It has 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, which can be expanded up to 512GB.
There is a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP selfie camera for photography. The device also has camera features like portrait mode, night mode, and a few India-specific augmented reality filters. The phone is powered by a 3,500mAh battery.
A Micro-USB port, 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth v4.1, Wi-Fi, and dual-SIM (Nano) slots are among the connectivity options. The JioPhone Next will receive automatic software updates, according to the company.
The JioPhone Next includes Google Assistant support as well as a 'Read Aloud' feature that allows you to read on-screen content aloud. There is also a 'Translate' feature that allows you to translate any text to the language of your choice.
The newly launched JioPhone Next costs Rs 6,499 in India. Customers can purchase the JioPhone Next smartphone for Rs 1,999 and pay the balance in EMIs over 18 or 24 months. It should be noted that Jio will also charge a Rs 501 processing fee. The JioPhone Next will be available for purchase on November 4th.