Realme To Launch 5G Smartphone Priced Below ₹15,000, Will Enter Consumer Durable Segment

Realme, a subsidiary of Oppo, is now an established smartphone brand in India. It has products scattered across the budget, mid-range, upper mid-range, and flagship categories of smartphones in India. The brand’s smartphone business grew by 20 percent in 2021, and it is now eyeing a growth of an additional 20 percent in 2022. Madhav Sheth, CEO of Realme India and VP of Realme, in an interview with GSMArena, revealed the brand’s strategies and product roadmap for H2 2022.  

Now that the 5G auction in India is done and dusted, Realme will be focusing more on 5G capable smartphones. According to Sheth, the ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 bracket is a key segment and Realme will be introducing a new 5G smartphone in this price range. The 5G rollout in India is expected to commence by October 2022, so expect Realme to reveal its new device around the Diwali festive season in India. 

Industry pundits believe the upcoming smartphone could be the new Realme 10 device. It will succeed the Realme 9 devices, which were introduced earlier this year after a major delay due to the chip crisis. Sheth believes that the production will normalise soon as the chip shortages have started to ease off. This could mean that the Realme 10 device development is on track and may hit the markets as planned. 

Furthermore, Sheth revealed that Realme is exploring two or three new categories in the consumer durable segment. However, he refrained from sharing any information about these products. He has assured that the brand will make an official announcement soon. Recently, Realme introduced its Pad X, Watch 3, Realme Flat Monitor, Realme Buds Wireless 2S, and a slew of other AIoT products in India, indicating that the brand is planning to diversify its business.