Reliance Jio has launched its new Jio Bharat phone, a smart feature phone that is designed to help India transition to a 4G-only future. The phone is priced at Rs 999 and comes with two new Jio Bharat plans, priced at Rs 123 and Rs 1234.
Launched under the company’s “2G Mukt Bharat” (2G-free India) vision, Jio Bharat phone is a basic-looking but smart feature phone that comes with all the essentials that will help user stay connected especially in rural parts of India.
It has a 1.77-inch display, a 0.3MP camera, a torch, FM radio, 3.5mm audio jack and an expandable storage. It also comes with a range of Jio apps, including JioCinema, JioSaavn, and JioMoney. There’s a removable 1000mAh battery included in the package which can conveniently last for up to 24 hours on single charge. Similar to previous Jio phones, Jio Bharat also is a Jio SIM locked phone which means you have to insert the Jio SIM card in it before using. Jio Bharat phone is available in two colours- black and blue.
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With Jio Bharat, Reliance Jio want to address not only the issue of affordability but also restriction from accessing digital services like digital payments. With Jio Bharat, users can make digital payments using JioMoney.
The two new Jio Bharat plans are designed for the monthly or annual requirements of user. The Rs 123 plan, which company claims offers seven times higher data than other operators, gives 14GB of data (0.5GB per day) and unlimited voice calls for 28 days. The Rs 1234 plan, which is an annual plan, gives 168GB of data (0.5GB per day) and unlimited calling benefits for a year.
In addition to the Jio Bharat phone and plans, Jio also announced a number of other initiatives to help India become 2G-free. These initiatives include a new Jio Bharat Platform that will allow other handset makers to launch Jio Bharat phones. This platform will be adopted by various phone brands, starting with Karbonn, to develop affordable Jio Bharat phones.
“There are still 250 million mobile phone users in India who remain ‘trapped’ in the 2G era, unable to tap into basic features of the internet at a time when the world stands at the cusp of a 5G revolution. Six years ago, when Jio was launched, we made it clear that Jio will leave no stone unturned to democratize internet and pass the benefits of technology to every Indian. The new Jio Bharat phone is another step in that direction,” Reliance Jio Chairman Akash Ambani said.
A beta trial for the Jio Bharat phone will begin on July 7 across 6500 tehsils in the country.
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