Reliance JioPhone has taken the Indian mobile market by storm. The zero-cost feature phone comes with 4G LTE connectivity along with the advanced VoLTE calling facility. Additionally, the JioPhone offers a handful of functionalities which you can only expect from a full-fledged smartphone. So, does this revolutionary mobile have any competitors? Let’s find out.
The strategy adopted by Reliance with its JioPhone is certainly quite hard to beat. The company is giving away the handset practically free of cost, just with a mandatory security deposit of Rs. 1500, which is fully refundable after three years. However, the JioPhone would be SIM-locked to work only with Reliance Jio. This is where the need for its competitors come into play.
Major telecom operators of India like Airtel and Idea have revealed that various third party mobile manufacturers are working to launch their respective 4G VoLTE-enabled feature phones. While most of the companies are yet to release their handsets, Lava and Intex has already announced theirs. The Lava 4G Connect M1 and Intex Turbo+ 4G are presently the only real competitors to Reliance JioPhone. Below is a brief overview of each of them.
Lava 4G Connect M1
Well, this one was launch on February 2017, way before the Reliance JioPhone. The Lava 4G Connect M1 comes with a 2.4-inch display and looks just like a regular feature phone. It packs a 1.2 GHz quad core processor along with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. The dual SIM handset supports 4G LTE as well as VoLTE.
All of these is juiced up by a 1750mAh battery. The Lava 4G Connect M1 has a price tag of Rs. 3599 and available only through offline retailers. Some reports indicate that some stores are selling the phone for Rs. 2999.
Intex Turbo+ 4G
Around two weeks ago, Intex announced the Turbo+ 4G and it directly competes with the Reliance JioPhone. The former comes with a 2.4-inch screen and gets powered by a dual-core processor. The Turbo+ 4G packs 512MB of RAM along with 4GB of onboard storage. Intex’s newest feature phone runs a customized operating system named KaiOS. Speaking of optics, the handset sports a 2MP rear camera and a VGA selfie unit.
A 2000mAh battery juices up the Intex Turbo+ 4G. The mobile is expected to go on sale in October 2017 for a price of Rs. 1999.
Upcoming alternatives of JioPhone
Well, there goes the already announced rivals of the JioPhone. Now let’s talk about the upcoming ones. Speculations indicate that Idea is working on a 4G LTE feature phone which may cost Rs. 2500. It will come with a similar set of specifications as Reliance’s offering, bundled with exclusive plans from Idea.
Meanwhile, Airtel is testing its VoLTE calling facility in India and might launch its service across the country soon. After that, the company is expected to collaborate with third party mobile makers to take on Reliance Jio.
The popular Indian smartphone brand Micromax is also rumored to unveil a JioPhone competitor soon. Presumed to be named as the Bharat 1, the feature phone would come with 4G VoLTE connectivity along with a standard set of specifications. The handset is expected to be priced at Rs. 1999. Micromax Bharat 1 should release officially in the coming months.
If you are in a hurry to buy a cheap 4G phone, you can check our list of the cheapest 4G phones in India right now.
