JioPhone Next finally on sale: Check out specifications, price and everything you need to know

The much-awaited smartphone from the house of Reliance Jio is finally up for pre-bookings in India and will be available in stores from Diwali (November 4) for as low as Rs 1,999 upfront payment. The phone was expected to launch in September but was delayed due to the ongoing global chip shortage. JioPhone Next is designed for those who want to upgrade from a feature phone to a smartphone without spending much. Here’s a quick look at the specifications and features of this entry-level smartphone that is set to revolutionise the budget price bracket.

JioPhone Next Specifications

The JioPhone Next runs on Pragati OS, an optimised version of Android that is tailored for users in India. The phone features a 5.45-inch HD+ display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection and an anti-fingerprint coating. Powered by the 1.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 quad-core processor, it has 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage that is expandable up to 512GB.

As far as cameras are concerned, the JioPhone Next carries a 13-megapixel rear camera and has an 8-megapixel selfie camera. Rear camera features will include portrait mode, night mode, and preloaded custom India-augmented reality filters. The entry-level phone boasts a 3,500mAh battery. If we talk about the connectivity options, it includes a micro-USB port, 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth v4.1, Wi-Fi, and dual-SIM (Nano) slots. Sensors onboard include an accelerometer, light sensor, and proximity sensor. JioPhone Next will come with automatic software upgrades as well.

Additionally, JioPhone Next comes with Google Assistant support to help users operate the smartphone by responding to commands such as “manage settings” and “open app”. There is also a ‘Read Aloud’ feature that allows the user to have on-screen content read out to them. This allows users to consume content by listening in a language that they can understand. Also, JioPhone Next integrates a ‘Translate’ functionality as well that allows the user to have any text translated to the language of the user’s choice.

JioPhone Next: A Quick Review

Disappointed with the Jio Phone Next.

Why?

• The JioPhoneNext is not the most affordable smartphone as was communicated.
• Don’t see how at this price does it shift the 300 odd million 2G users to 4G making India 2G free. The entry price of Rs 1,999 is high for these customers. Add the EMI obligation over an extended period and it becomes more difficult.
• It may be the first smartphone for existing Jio 1/2 smart feature phones but that is not new customers.
• Don’t see it hurting the current Global and Chinese brands too much. They have moved on to higher price segments as their customer’s upgrade.

I guess the current chipset shortage and cost increases made it more difficult for Jio. For me the combination of Jio, Qualcomm and Google could not come up with a Game changer one would have expected.

Specially Google be it their Android One story in OS or the Pixel story in hardware.

JioPhone Next Price in India

The new JioPhone Next is priced in India at Rs. 6,499. It can be purchased upfront without any EMI options for the said amount. Alternatively, interested buyers can opt for the easy EMI option wherein users will have to pay Rs 1,999 initially (plus Rs 501 processing fees), and then pay the balance amount in easy EMI. Reliance Jio has confirmed that the phone can be purchased from Diwali, that is, from November 4. To purchase the JioPhone Next, users need to visit the nearest Jio Mart digital retailer or go the website and register.