Jio and the rumoured $50 smartphone: reading the signals
Access this insight with a Premium plan. Contact our sales team to get started.
Report details
Jio and the rumoured $50 smartphone: reading the signals
Media speculation has surfaced that Reliance Jio is in advanced stages of designing a smartphone expected to be priced around $50. Several Chinese models and prior ventures from would-be challengers to the iOS/Android smartphone duopoly (such as Firefox) have been released in this price bracket over the last 10 years. However, these have involved fundamental trade-offs in capabilities and performance relative to mid and higher end models. Instead, more consumers have defaulted to a new breed of cheaper, basic phones with internet connectivity - 'smart feature phones'. While the Jio initiative would impact only India, the engineering and content enhancements required for such a handset have implications for other developing countries looking to stimulate internet access rates - particularly Africa, where penetration remains stubbornly low.
Report details
Jio and the rumoured $50 smartphone: reading the signals
Related research
CES 2026: how advanced AI is shaping devices, smart home, digital entertainment and automotive
For industry players, the developments at CES have important implications for the road ahead. For operators, for example, this includes the area of network quality of service and the opening up of potential new revenue opportunities. To help navigate the key announcements, developments and implications from the show, this report focuses on four key areas of innovation: consumer devices, smart home, digital entertainment and automotive.
The digital consumer in 2026: how consumer behaviour is changing across 5G, AI, eSIM, devices and content
Leveraging data from the 2025 survey, conducted between June and August, this report provides relevant insights into how the consumer behaviour is changing across eight topic areas: 5G; devices; eSIM; generative AI; pay TV; gaming; the metaverse and extended reality; and sustainability.
Consumers in Focus: Device User Behaviour Survey Dashboard 2026
This dashboard, based on GSMA Intelligence 2025 consumer survey, provides all the relevant data related to device user behaviour in a consistent and structured way – a valuable asset for companies looking to formulate or adjust their consumer commercial strategies and plans.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
CES 2026: how advanced AI is shaping devices, smart home, digital entertainment and automotive
For industry players, the developments at CES have important implications for the road ahead. For operators, for example, this includes the area of network quality of service and the opening up of potential new revenue opportunities. To help navigate the key announcements, developments and implications from the show, this report focuses on four key areas of innovation: consumer devices, smart home, digital entertainment and automotive.
The digital consumer in 2026: how consumer behaviour is changing across 5G, AI, eSIM, devices and content
Leveraging data from the 2025 survey, conducted between June and August, this report provides relevant insights into how the consumer behaviour is changing across eight topic areas: 5G; devices; eSIM; generative AI; pay TV; gaming; the metaverse and extended reality; and sustainability.
Consumers in Focus: Device User Behaviour Survey Dashboard 2026
This dashboard, based on GSMA Intelligence 2025 consumer survey, provides all the relevant data related to device user behaviour in a consistent and structured way – a valuable asset for companies looking to formulate or adjust their consumer commercial strategies and plans.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics