Reliance Industries’ 2024 annual report has said that JioBharat, India’s most affordable keypad smartphone, has captured an impressive 50 per cent market share in the sub-Rs 1,000 segment. The phone was launched with an aim of extending digital services to every Indian, said a statement.
Ever since, JioBharat has made significant strides in bridging the digital divide for the 250 million feature phone users in India.
“Since its introduction a year ago, JioBharat has been a game-changer, offering essential features and digital capabilities like UPI, JioCinema, and JioTV, thereby enhancing the lives of users across various segments of society,” said the statement.
The device not only provides smartphone functionality at an affordable price but also ensures high-quality data access, making it accessible to a broad audience, added the statement.
Despite recent industry-wide tariff hikes, Jio has kept the price of JioBharat’s data plan unchanged at Rs 123 per month. This stands in stark contrast to other operators, where the cheapest plans start at Rs 199 per month and offer limited functionality restricted to voice and SMS services due to the lack of data or LTE support in their feature phones, as per the statement.
In his letter to shareholders, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries Ltd hailed the JioBharat phone as a revolutionary step towards closing the digital divide. He emphasised that the phone, priced like a feature phone, will contribute significantly to achieving a “2G-mukt Bharat.”
Ambani also reflected on Jio’s transformative impact since its 2016 launch, which democratised internet access and brought high-speed data within reach of every Indian. The subsequent introduction of affordable devices like JioPhone and JioFiber further democratised data connectivity.
Ambani added, “With the launch of Jio 4G in 2016, we embarked on a mission to make digital inclusion in India a reality. Jio transformed a Data Dark India into a Data Rich nation, providing affordable, high-speed 4G data to every home. This year, Jio has further advanced the country’s digital infrastructure with the rollout of its True5G network across India in record time.”
The JioBharat phone, launched last year, remains key to Jio’s innovation strategy, continually demonstrating the company’s commitment to delivering exceptional value and practical benefits to diverse user segments.
