JioBharat captures 50% market share in sub-Rs 1,000 segment: RIL Annual Report
Reliance Industries’ 2024 annual report reveals that JioBharat, India’s most affordable keypad smartphone, has achieved an impressive 50% market share in the sub-Rs 1,000 segment. Launched with the mission to empower every Indian with digital services, JioBharat has marked a significant step towards digital freedom for the 250 million feature phone users in India, bridging the digital divide like never before.
Since its launch a year ago, JioBharat has been transforming lives by offering features and digital capabilities such as UPI, JioCinema, and JioTV, enabling various segments of society to achieve more. This ultra-affordable device not only empowers users with smartphone capabilities but also provides high-quality and affordable data, making it accessible to the common man.
Despite the recent industry-wide tariff increases, Jio has maintained consistent pricing for JioBharat, allowing users to enjoy full digital capabilities at just Rs 123 per month. In contrast, the most affordable plans from other operators start at Rs 199 per month and enables access to limited functionality, restricted to voice and SMS services, as their feature phones do not support data or LTE usage.
In his letter to shareholders, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries Ltd, stated, “The launch of the JioBharat phone is another revolutionary step towards bridging the country’s digital divide. A smartphone at the price of a feature phone, the JioBharat phone will go a long way in realizing a 2G-mukt Bharat.”
In 2016, when Jio was launched, it left no stone unturned to democratize internet access and pass the benefits of technology to every Indian. With affordable high-speed data and a ubiquitous network, technology was no longer a privilege for a select few. The subsequent launch of affordable devices like JioPhone and the availability of affordable wired broadband (JioFiber) has truly democratized data connectivity.
“With the launch of Jio 4G in 2016, we set out on a journey to make digital inclusion in India a reality. Jio turned a Data Dark India into a Data Rich nation, supplying every Indian home with affordable, high-speed 4G data. And this year, Jio has further enhanced the country’s digital infrastructure by rolling out its True5G network across India in world-record time,” states Mukesh Ambani’s letter to shareholders in the latest annual report.
The JioBharat phone, launched last year, was another step in that direction. It is at the center of innovation and continues to demonstrate Jio’s focus on bringing disproportionate and true value for different segments of users with meaningful, real-life use cases.
