A few months back, when Indian Business Tycoon Mukesh Ambani made an announcement regarding a feature phone, that packs 4G LTE, screen mirroring, WiFi, NFC and support for Jio Apps most of us were mesmerised by it. In fact, our first thought was (at least mine) will JioPhone be the next freedom 251? (the brand that claimed to provide Android-powered smartphones for just INR 251). However, it’s not and JioPhone is already available to those who pre-ordered by paying a token amount of INR 500.
This review might change your views on JioPhone. JioPhone is effectively priced at INR 0, with a lot of terms of conditions. Is all this hype is for real? let’s find out.
Interested JioPhone aspirants have to pre-order the device via offline retail Jio outlets or on Jio.com by paying INR 5,00, then, you will get confirmation regarding the date and time of the delivery depending on the availability, at the time of delivery, a user has to pay additional INR 1,000. Upon receiving the handset, one has to visit the nearest retailer to verify the documents via KYC (takes barely a minute), then your device will get activated, depending on the plan you choose, one can enjoy unlimited data, free voice and video calls with free text messages.
If you plan to buy JioPhone then you are entitled to receive a new cellular connection. So, even if you have an already existing Jio number, it won’t work. So, get ready to carry one more additional number. However, the SIM card found on the JioPhone will work on the other 4G enabled smartphones, so, if you plan to return your device after a stipulated time frame, then you can use the SIM card on other handsets.
JioPhone is not for those, who already own a smartphone with 4G connectivity, in fact, even if you have an entry-level smartphone with 4.5-inch screen, then don’t go with the JioPhone. However, if you haven’t tasted the sweetness of a modern smartphone, then you can begin with the JioPhone, though it misses out on major apps that are widely used in India (Facebook and Whatsapp) it will not bother, as you haven’t used a smartphone yet. The JioPhone does support WiFi but doesn’t offer WiFi Hotspot, a tricky move from Jio to stop the abuse of the JioPhone.
What are the advantages over the featurephone, which costs almost the same or higher?
This is a great bargain, considering the fact that the device offers a 2.4-inch screen, 2500 mAh battery, 4G LTE with VoLte capability and a front and rear-facing camera. As a matter of fact, JioPhone is the first feature phone to offer all these features under one roof.
Jio services like JioTV, JioMag, JioMusic and JioMovies are also bundled with the smartphone with a complimentary subscription. So, as long as you recharge your device, you can enjoy these features at no extra cost. A fascinating feature of this device is screen mirroring, one has to buy a proprietary connector depending on the TV model (HDMI input or AV input) so, one can watch live TV, movies and other content on a bigger screen, which enhances the overall user experience. So, if you are a bachelor and going for a 9-to-5 job, then attach your JioPhone to enjoy free hours of big screen television using this complimentary feature (my personal favourite feature).
JioPhone packs an NFC chip, Probably, even the mid-range Android smartphones fail to offer this feature. Considering the growth in the online wallet and the cashless transactions, Jio is aiming to promote JioPay using JioPhone.
Having said that, a user has to recharge a minimum of INR 1,500 rupees to get his cautionary deposit. For 3 years, it’s a minimum of INR 4,500. Looking at this figure, this might feel like a huge amount, in reality, its nothing. Just remember, a few months back we were used to paying INR 250 for just 1 GB of 3G or 4G data and additional price for the voice calls and SMS.
So, this deal isn’t bad at all, for those who are thinking to use it as a daily driver if not as a primary device. So, you are getting around 15 GB 4G data (0.5 GB per day) free unlimited voice and video calls with free SMS for a mear cost of INR 150 rupees.
Conclusion: If you are planning to buy a JioPhone, then, think twice about the situation. Do you need a backup phone, which can offer functions of a smartphone (bit restricted)? So, a feature phone with all the above-mentioned features is worth its price tag. As marketed by Jio, it’s designed for those, who cannot afford a smartphone by paying at least INR 4,000 and a hefty data packs.