Entry-Level Smartphone Archives - Gizmochina

JioPhone Next entry-level smartphone confirmed to run Android-based Pragati OS

Jeet — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 10:29:35 +0000

JioPhone Next, a new budget smartphone from Reliance Jio, made in partnership with Google, is expected to be made available in the Indian market around Diwali. This means that the official launch could be just days away.

Ahead of the launch, the company has released a video titled “Making of JioPhone Next” which reveals some of the key details of the smartphone, including the software that will be running the device.

It has now been confirmed that the JioPhone Next will be running Pragati OS. It is a new operating system built on top of Android in partnership with Google and comes with a host of features to cater to entry-level smartphone customers.

Reliance says that Pragati OS has been built specifically for India. In a statement, the company said: “It has been engineered by best minds at Jio and Google with an objective to bring Pragati for all while offering truly seamless experience at affordable cost.”

It has also been confirmed that the smartphone will come powered by a Qualcomm chipset but specific details haven’t been revealed yet. The device will also come with a Voice Assistant to help users operate the device and get information easily from the internet.

There will also be a “Translate” feature that will let users have any screen translated to a language of their choice. In the camera department, the JioPhone will come with a “smart and powerful camera,” which is likely to be a 13-megapixel sensor.

It will support multiple photography modes such as portrait mode, night mode, and more. Users will also get “custom Indian augmented reality filters” to enhance the pictures by associating them with “emotions and festivities.”

A recent leak of the phone through Google Play Console listing reveals that it will feature an HD display with a screen resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels. It will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 SoC. It may be offered in two variants — 2GB RAM with 16GB storage and 3GB RAM with 32GB storage.

The phone is expected to come powered by a 2,500mAh battery. While the pricing and availability details still remain unknown, it will probably be priced between ₹5,000 (~$66) and ₹7,000 (~$93) in the Indian market.

Realme C25Y budget smartphone now available for pre-booking in India

Jeet — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 05:45:29 +0000

Last week, Chinese smartphone maker Realme launched its latest budget device in the Indian market, dubbed Realme C25Y. As the name indicates, it’s an upgrade of the Realme C25 that was launched in India earlier this year in March.

Now, days after its announcement in the Indian market, the company has now started taking pre-orders for the Realme C25Y smartphone on its official website. The shipments of the device will begin from 27th September.

Coming to the pricing, the base model with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage is priced at ₹10,999 while the 4GB RAM and 128GB storage model costs ₹11,999. It’s noteworthy that only the 4GB + 128GB model is available for pre-booking and there’s no information available about the base variant. The phone is being offered in two different color options — Glacier Blue and Metal Grey.

In terms of specifications, the Realme C25Y features a 6.5-inch display with a screen resolution of 1600 × 720 pixels and offers a peak brightness of 420nits. There’s a waterdrop notch on top of the screen that houses an 8-megapixel selfie snapper.

The smartphone is the first one from the company’s C-series to come with a “50MP AI Triple Camera.” It packs a 50-megapixel primary sensor that supports 4x digital zoom, along with a 2-megapixel macro lens and a 2-megapixel monochrome sensor.

Internally, the device comes powered by the Unisoc T610, which is a 12nm octa-core processor and is paired with the ARM Mali-G52 GPU. It is running the Android 11 operating system out-of-the-box with a special edition of Realme UI named “Realme R Edition”. It will be getting the Android 12 update. The phone is powered by a 5,000mAh battery and comes with support for 18W fast charging.

Lenovo K13 powered by Unisoc SC9863A SoC and 2GB RAM launched in Russia

Jeet — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 04:46:01 +0000

Lenovo has launched a new entry-level smartphone in its K-series of smartphones in Russia. The phone, dubbed Lenovo K13, is a step back from the K12 smartphone launched last year, in terms of specifications.

The smartphone features a 6.52-inch IPS LCD display that offers HD+ screen resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels and a regular 60Hz refresh rate. There’s also a waterdrop notch on top of the display that houses a 5-megapixel selfie snapper.

On the backside, the device features a dual-camera setup that includes a 13-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. There’s also a fingerprint sensor mounted on the back panel for added security.

Under the hood, the Lenovo K13 is powered by the Unisoc SC9863A chipset which has an octa-core processor clocked at 1.6GHz. The device comes packed with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

It also comes with a microSD card slot for further expanding the storage capacity. In comparison, the K12 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 SoC, packing 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.

There’s a usual set of connectivity options, including 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, and GPS. The phone runs the Android operating system out-of-the-box and is powered by a 5,000mAh battery that supports 10W charging.

The Lenovo K12 is available for purchase in Russia in just one color — Blue. It carries an affordable price tag of RUB7,777 which roughly converts to $106.

Realme C21Y powered by Unisoc T610 SoC launched in India; price starts at ₹8,999 ($121)

Jeet — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 07:22:33 +0000

As expected, Realme has today launched its latest entry-level smartphone under its C-series for the Indian market, dubbed Realme C21Y. The phone was first launched in Vietnam last month.

It features a 6.5-inch HD+ display offering a screen resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20:9. There’s also a water-drop notch on top of the display for housing the front-facing camera sensor.

Under the hood, the device is powered by a Unisoc T610 octa-core processor which is not something that you usually get in the Indian market. However, Unisoc has partnered with brands like Micromax, Realme, and Motorola to bring devices powered by its processors in the Indian market, so expect more Unisoc-powered phones in the market.

This processor isn’t a major upgrade compared to the MediaTek Helio G35 packed in the Realme C21 but it’s a bit more powerful. The device comes packed with up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There’s also a microSD card slot that allows you to further expand the storage capacity.

In the camera department, you get a triple-camera setup on the back consisting of a 13-megapixel primary sensor, a 2-megapixel monochrome sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro lens. On the front side, there’s a 5-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling.

Connectiivty-wise, it comes with the usual set of features, including 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/, and MicroUSB. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack. The device also has a fingerprint sensor on the back panel for added security.

The smartphone is running the Android 11 operating system with the Realme UI custom user interface on top. It is powered by a 5,000mAh battery and is claimed by the company to offer all-day usage with a single charge.

The Realme C21Y comes in two color options in the Indian market — Cross Black and Cross Blue. The 3GB RAM with 32GB storage model is priced at ₹8,999 (~$121) while the 4GB RAM with 64GB internal storage model costs ₹9,999, about $135. The phone will be available for purchase through Realme.com, Flipkart, and Offline Stores across the country starting from 30th August.

Nokia C30 entry-level smartphone running Android 11 Go Edition officially launched

Jeet — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 04:58:38 +0000

HMD Global has today officially announced its new smartphones in the C-series — Nokia C30. For those who are unaware, the C-series phones from the Finland-based company are the most affordable devices from the brand.

The smartphone features a 6.82-inch HD+ LCD display that offers 1600 x 720 pixels screen resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, it is powered by an unspecified octa-core processor that has four A55 cores at 1.6GHz and four A55 cores at 1.2GHz.

The device comes in multiple memory configurations — 2GB RAM with 32GB internal storage, 3GB RAM with 32GB internal storage, and 3GB RAM with 64GB internal storage. There’s also a microSD card slot allowing users to further expand the storage capacity.

In the camera department, the phone features a dual-camera setup that consists of a 13-megapixel primary sensor with an LED flash and a 2-megapixel secondary sensor. On the front side, the device comes with a 5-megapixel snapper for taking selfies.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS + GLONASS, and micro-USB port. It also comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for added protection.

The phone is running the Android 11 Go Edition which is an optimized version of the Android 11 made for devices with entry-level hardware. It is powered by a 6,000mAh battery with 10W charging support.

The Nokia C30 comes in two color options — Green and White. The phone’s pricing starts at €99 which is approximately $116 and will be available in select markets starting today.

Realme C21Y goes official; packs Unisoc T610 SoC, 4GB RAM, and triple rear cameras

Jeet — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 01:48:32 +0000

Realme has a lineup of entry-level smartphones under its C-series and now the company has launched a new device under the same, dubbed Realme C21Y. The phone has made its global debut in Vietnam and could soon launch in other regions.

The smartphone features a 6.5-inch HD+ LCD display that offers a screen resolution of 1600 × 720 pixels and 400nits peak brightness. It features a waterdrop notch that houses a front selfie shooter.

Under the hood, the handset is powered by a Unisoc T610 octa-core processor which is built using a 12nm fabrication process. The graphics on the handset are handled by an integrated Mali G52 GPU.

The device comes packed with 4GB LPDDRX RAM and 64GB internal storage. In the camera department, there’s a triple-camera setup on the back that includes a 13-megapixel primary sensor, a 2-megapixel macro lens, and a 2-megapixel monochrome lens.

On the front side, the smartphone features a 5-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling. Connectivity options include 4G, Dual Sim, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, AGPS, Beidou, and Glonass.

There’s also a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. It runs the Android 10 operating system out-of-the-box which is now a bit old given that Android 12 has been officially announced. It would have been good if the company opted for the Android 11 OS. The phone has a Realme UI on top and is powered by a 5,000mAh battery.

The Realme C21Y comes in two color options — Black and Blue. The 3GB RAM with 32GB internal storage model is priced at 3,490,000 Vietnamese dongs (approx. $151) while the 4GB RAM with 64GB internal storage variant costs 3,990,000 Vietnamese dongs (~$173).

Qualcomm could play a key role for upcoming Jio-Google budget smartphones

Jeet — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 04:40:40 +0000

Last year, Reliance Jio had announced Google’s investment of Rs 33,737 crore for a 7.7 percent stake in the company. Along with that, it was also revealed that both the companies will be collaborating for making a low-cost Android smartphone.

Now, it is being reported that Qualcomm will also be playing a key role for this upcoming entry-level smartphone. With budget smartphones, Jio is trying to convert feature phone users, especially its JioPhone users, into first-time smartphone users.

Rajen Vagadia, President of Qualcomm India, told ET that the company will continue the legacy of collaborating and supporting Jio in bringing new devices and offerings, across price tiers in the market.

Qualcomm’s 400-series chipsets are likely to be used for the budget smartphones — both for 4G as well as 5G. However, the company hasn’t confirmed reaching a deal for the same, saying that such deals would be confidential.

As per the previous reports, Reliance Jio had planned to launch the budget smartphone made in collaboration with Google, by December 2020. However, the release of the device has been postponed and is now expected to get launched in the first quarter of this year.

The upcoming budget smartphone is expected to be priced around Rs 4,000 (approximately $55) to attract the masses in the Indian market. Another report claims that the Jio is expected to roll out around 200 million units within two years in hopes to rope in new users to maintain its lead in the market.

It will be interesting to how the upcoming Jio-Google budget smartphone performs in the market. Google has been trying to focus on the budget offerings with services like Android Go and Android One, but so far hasn’t been able to provide support after initial few months. Indian smartphone market is already highly competitive and it remains to been seen if Jio’s smartphones can be a threat to the likes of Xiaomi and Realme.

Coolpad Cool 3 with 5.7-inch dewdrop notch display, dual rear cameras, and Android Pie launched in India

Jeet — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 02:12:32 +0000

Coolpad, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, which launched three Mega-series smartphones in the Indian market last month, has now launched its latest entry-level smartphone in India — Coolpad Cool 3.

The smartphone is priced at Rs. 5,999, which roughly converts to $84 and will be available for purchase through online and offline markets. However, the company has not yet revealed the exact date of availability. The device will be offered in four color options — Midnight Blue, Ruby Black, Ocean Indigo and Teal Green.

Coming to the specifications, the handset features a 5.71-inch LCD display with 1520 x 720 pixels screen resolution that comes with a dewdrop notch. This makes it the most affordable smartphone in the Indian market to feature a dewdrop display.

Under the hood, the device is powered by an entry-level octa-core processor from Unisoc, which was previously known as Spreadtrum. It packs 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage and comes with a microSD card for expanding the phone’s storage capacity.

As for the camera configurations, it comes with an 8-megapixel primary sensor and a 0.3-megapixel secondary depth sensor. At the front, the handset gets a basic 5-megapixel fixed focus camera for selfies and video calling.

The handset comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for added security. It runs a slightly customized version of Android 9.0 Pie operating system, which is currently the latest stable version of Android. Connectivity options on the handset include support for Dual SIM, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, and GPS + GLONASS, and is powered by a 3,000mAh battery.

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Coolpad Cool 3 with waterdrop notch and Android Pie to launch in India tomorrow

Jeet — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 10:49:02 +0000

Coolpad, the China-based smartphone manufacturer, which had launched three new smartphones in the Indian market a couple of years ago, is now all set to launch its new smartphone tomorrow in India, dubbed Coolpad Cool 3.

The smartphone will feature a dewdrop notch and come with a glossy back panel. It will be available for purchase in a slew of color options. Launching tomorrow, i.e. 5th February, the smartphone is expected to be priced under Rs. 6,000, which roughly converts to $84.

Currently, the phone is confirmed to run Android 9 Pie operating system out-of-the-box. The media invite for the launch event of the smartphone also reveals that the phone will come with a dewdrop/waterdrop notch on top of the display.

The teaser of the device hints the phone could feature a sleek design with minimum bezels. There’s a possibility that the smartphone could come with a 6.3-inch IPS LCD display with Full HD+ screen resolution and 2.5D curved tempered glass protection.

On the back side, the phone is expected to feature a vertical dual camera setup along with an LED flash stacked between the two sensors. The phone’s front-facing camera will also be supporting the Face Unlock feature.

While it’s not yet confirmed if the phone will be powered by the MediaTek or Qualcomm chipset, we expect the smartphone to come with 3GB/4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB of internal storage. The phone will also support microSD card slot for expanding the phone’s storage capacity. As for the connectivity, it supports dual-SIM, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, and a micro-USB port.

At the price point of around Rs. 6,000, the smartphone will be competing against the likes of Redmi 6 and Realme C1. It will be interesting to see how the device performs against the established brands like Xiaomi and Realme.

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