Reliance Jio Has Changed the Game, Let the Numbers Tell You How

With smartphones available for just Rs 10-15K, Jio is on a consumer-wooing spree.

Reliance Jio has changed the market and how! (Photo: The Quint)

The launch of Reliance’s Jio 4G has brought in quite a relief for smartphone users in India. We tell you, through numbers, how these users have benefited from Jio.

On one hand, leading telcos like Airtel and Vodafone have been forced to step up their game and have been offering data packs at lower prices.

On the other, phones with high-end features like 4G and VoLTE, have been made available for cheap prices in the market.

This includes phones by top China-based companies like Lenovo, Xiaomi, Vivo and Gionee, which are making quite a mark in the smartphone market in India.

Phones manufactured by global brands like Samsung and LG as well as domestic names like Micromax, Intex and Videocon are also available.

The Advent of Jio Spells Double Gain for Smartphone Users

• A 4G VoLTE support phone is now yours for just Rs 10-15K
  
• High-end Chinese smartphones available at low prices
  
• Brands like Xiaomi make hay in the shine of Jio
  
• Samsung has decided to launch only 4G phones in India
  

Samsung’s 4G VoLTE Phone for Rs 4,590 Only

Samsung has decided not to launch 3G phones in India. It is instead offering, at Rs 4,590, the SAMSUNG Z2 phone, which is ideal for the super fast internet afforded by Jio, and Jio-to-Jio calling as well.

Samsung Galaxy A8. (Photo: The Quint)

Redmi, Gionee are Ruling the Roost

People who have benefited the most by Reliance Jio’s launch are Chinese smartphone manufacturers. The reason is simple.

Chinese brands were already offering 4G-enabled and VoLTE-supported smartphones. But Indian users preferred known names like Sony, Xperia and Motorola. With the arrival of Jio though, the story seems to have changed its track.

Jio offers not just super fast internet at zero cost, but also free voice calling. Thus, usually brand-conscious consumers are readily exploring the Chinese smartphone option to exploit this opportunity.

Redmi offers more than half-a-dozen 4G enabled-smartphones in the <10K range. (Photo: The Quint)

According to Canalys – a market research firm – Xiaomi, due to an increase in shipments, has experienced a 170 percent year-on-year growth.

Another research firm found that Chinese companies posted a 36 percent growth in the July-September quarter, as opposed to the 21 percent growth recorded in the January-March quarter.

Micromax’s market share, on the other hand, has declined from 17 percent to 6.4 percent, while market leader Samsung’s share has come down from 29 percent to 21.6 percent.

Sony, Motorola Lag Behind

Global names like Motorola and Sony are yet to launch 4G VoLTE smartphones in this price range, despite Motorola being a subsidiary of Chinese smartphone manufacturer Lenovo and Sony having a near-monopoly in the Android market.

Sony Xperia Z5 boasts of 4G and VoLTE but it will set you back by Rs 37,000. Moto Z Play, which also has both features, is available for Rs 24,999.

In this race, Motorola is lagging behind. (Photo: Motorola)

Only Those Who Board the Jio Train Will Benefit

It is quite clear at this point that only companies ready to provide their users Jio-like offers, are going to benefit in the current situation.

For example, the Chinese brands that promised sleek design and efficient software have triumphed over companies which stuck to outdated software and poor design.

For price-sensitive Indian consumers, the former will be their first preference for sure.

(This piece has been translated from Quint Hindi)