Chip shortage pushes Reliance, Google to delay India smartphone launch

Jio has delayed the launch of its ultra low-cost smartphone it is developing with Google, to Diwali, possibly due to semiconductor shortages that the industry is facing.

The phone, JioPhone Next, was previously slated to be launched on Friday (September 10).

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani, at the shareholder meeting of his flagship Reliance Industries Ltd in June, had stated that the JioPhone Next will be available for purchase on September 10.

Jio Phone Next has been designed in partnership with Google and it is for those who are looking to upgrade from 2G to 4G connectivity.

Announcing the new timeline, the company, however, did not reveal the pricing of the phone.