JioPhone Next launch delayed until Diwali due to chip shortage

• The JioPhone Next smartphone is now scheduled to launch ahead of the Diwali festive season.
• Jio said it has begun testing the smartphone with select users for now.
• The telco said that this additional time will help it mitigate the ongoing global chip shortage.

Reliance Jio was scheduled to launch the much-anticipated $4 smartphone today on the occasion of Ganesh Chathurti. The telco announced late Thursday that the launch has been pushed back and it will now be available before Diwali which is on November 4 this year.

$4in its release did not specify the exact reason behind the delay of the JioPhone Next but it did mention the global shortage of semiconductors. “This additional time will also help mitigate the current industry-wide, global semiconductor shortages,” Jio said in the release. The global chip shortage which first hit the car industry and then the consumer electronics, is now affecting smartphones as well. Apple has also warned supply constraints will affect sales of the iPhone and iPad.

The telco added that along with Google it has started testing the JioPhone Next with select users for “further refinement” and it should be available more widely just in time for the Diwali festive season.

The JioPhone Next has been jointly developed by Reliance Jio and Google. It’s a low-cost 4G smartphone running a customised version of Android and loaded with Google features for Android users. It will come with optimisations for low-light photography with an HDR mode, and India-specific Snapchat lenses integrated into the phone’s camera. Google features such as Read Aloud and Translate Now will also be integrated in the OS. These features will work with any text on the phone screen in addition to web pages, apps, messages and photos as well.

JioPhone Next users will also be able to use Google Assistant for Jio-related queries like playing music on JioSaavn or checking your balance on My Jio. The smartphone is also confirmed to receive regular security updates and Android releases.

JioPhone Next rumoured specs

In terms of specs, The JioPhone Next is expected to feature a 5.5-inch HD display. It could launch in two configurations of 2GB RAM + 16GB and 3GB RAM + 32GB. The smartphone is expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 processor, and it could run Android 11 (Go Edition). Leaks also suggest it will feature a 13-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera. And the smartphone could pack a 2,500mAh battery.

JioPhone Next rumoured price

The JioPhone Next is tipped to cost around ₹3,499. This pricing seems in line with RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani’s claim of the JioPhone Next being the most affordable smartphone not only in India but globally as well.

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