Reliance Jio and Google are joining hands to build entry-level affordable Android smartphones

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited is working with Google on low-cost smartphones running a localised version of Android software. The announcement was made during RIL’s 43rd Annual General Meeting. Though concrete details about the partnership weren’t shared, Ambani talked about 4G, even 5G smartphones costing a fraction of their current cost with deep emphasis on a value-engineered smartphone operating system designed specifically for the Indian market.

Reliance Jio launched the JioPhone, a 4G-capable “smart” feature phone, in India in 2017. It was followed by a second-generation product, aka JioPhone 2, in 2018. Rumours that Jio has been working on an entry-level 4G smartphone, to replace the JioPhone feature phone, have been doing the rounds since the time the company launched the original. The announcement made during RIL’s 43rd Annual General Meeting confirms that such a smartphone is indeed in development though the launch window still remains a mystery.