India Firm to Launch ‘World’s Cheapest’ Smartphone
TECHNOLOGY, 22 Feb 2016
BBC News – TRANSCEND Media Service
An Indian company is due to launch what is being billed as the world’s cheapest smartphone.
17 Feb 2016 – Ringing Bells said their Freedom 251 phone would be priced under 500 rupees (€6.57; £5; $7.3), but Indian media reports said it would cost just 251 rupees (€3.29; $3.67; £2.56). Reports say the phone has 8GB storage and cameras in the front and back.
India is the world’s second-largest mobile market and has one billion mobile phone subscribers.
Freedom 251 is expected to target a market already dominated by low-cost handsets.
“This is our flagship model and we think it will bring a revolution in the industry,” the AFP news agency quoted a spokeswoman as saying.
At present, the firm imports parts from overseas and assembles them in India, but plans to make its phones domestically within a year, she added.
Ringing Bells was set up a few months ago and recently launched one of India’s cheapest 4G smartphones at 2,999 rupees, the Press Trust of India reported.
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