Smartphone manufacturers in India are going all 5G even before the network could officially roll out in India. At the time when companies are releasing one 5G phones after another across price segments, Redmi is playing a different game altogether.
Redmi has a slightly different plan in store. Highlighting the company’s 5G phones for India, during an exclusive interview with BGR.in, Sneha Tainwala, who heads the Redmi business in India, says that the brand is choosing a different path and not going with what other brands are following.
Tainwala says that Redmi is currently striking a balance between 4G and 5G devices and will go all 5G depending on the market situation and as and when the network is available… which is still a few years away.
More 5G phones coming when India is ready
“Looking at the market currently, with 5G chipsets being expensive and the 5G penetration expected to take time, it’s only pragmatic to maintain a balance of 4G and 5G devices in our Redmi smartphone portfolio,” Tainwala says.
The first Redmi smartphone that the brand launched in the country is the Redmi Note 10T. The smartphone has been released in the country very recently with the aim to capture the affordable 5G market in India.
Keeping up with the ongoing market trend, chipmakers such as Qualcomm and MediaTek are releasing one affordable 5G chip after another and helping brand launch cheaper 5G smartphones in the country.
While other smartphone manufacturers are flooding the market with 5G smartphones – both premium and affordable – Redmi is waiting for the segment to turn mature.
Tainwala believes that there’s a long way to go for the 5G network to penetrate in the country. She says that the company “truly believes that it would take about two to three years for 5G to become available and accessible across smaller markets and at the entry level segment.”
She assures that “if at some point, we see the market readiness and gradual uptake of 5G, we will be one of the first companies to launch feature-rich and power-packed devices in the segment.”
Redmi’s game plan remains the same
Rewinding a few years when 4G was eventually rolling out in the country and with Jio bringing in free data for consumers, Redmi was among the first brands to capture the market with affordable 4G plans. The brand seemingly has the same strategy in store when 5G officially rolls out in the country.
“As we step into the new era of technology with the market preparing for the 5G network, once again we are focused on bringing the latest technology to the users – Innovation for everyone,” Tainwala said.
Besides 5G devices, Tainwala highlighted that Redmi aims to provide consumers with a “healthier tomorrow”. To achieve the aim, she revealed that Redmi will look at introducing more smart fitness devices in the market, thereby enabling users to stay fit and healthy.
Redmi phones getting expensive
Several popular Redmi phones have received a price hike in India recently. Some of these devices include the Redmi Note 10, the Redmi Note 10 Pro, among many other models. Not just Redmi phones, several other phone models from other brands including Samsung, Oppo, and more have received a price hike recently in the country.
The reason behind these sudden price hikes is the increase in prices of components and shortages across the supply chain. Commenting on the sudden hike in prices of some of Redmi phone models, Tainwala says, “since the last one year, we have witnessed shortages across the supply chain.”
“Due to massive demand-supply mismatch, the majority of components used in smartphones have seen constant upward movement in their prices. This, coupled with an unprecedented increase in shipping charges and dollar price inflation has had an effect on almost all the technology players including us,” Tainwala further explains.
