Given that Jio plans to offer a wide panoply of internet services, an integrated approach could potentially let the two partners mould the opening screens of millions of handsets
Reliance’s Jio Platforms seems avalanched with investor funds these days. The latest one to open a vault of money upon it is Google, which has bought a 7.7% stake in it for ₹33,737 crore. With this investment, Jio now has a dozen-odd global firms backing it, including the big tech company, Facebook, which set off the rush. That so many e-behemoths have sought alliances with Jio speaks of the venture’s prospects in a market seen to be going online rapidly.
Google’s Android operating system (OS) runs on most of the world’s smartphones. Together with Jio, it’s now expected to create a special OS for low-cost devices that are expected to proliferate in India. Given that Jio plans to offer a wide panoply of internet services, an integrated approach could potentially let the two partners mould the opening screens of millions of handsets. With Facebook’s WhatsApp already a frequent-swipe app in India, an OS menu pre-loaded with Jio apps would give it an advantage that any rival would envy. As it happens, though, Jio seems to have no direct competitor. Eventually, lack of competition in this space could hold innovation back. For now, there’s much action for us to look forward to.
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