India is the world’s second-largest smartphone market. Yet millions still use basic phones

India has been experiencing remarkable economic and population growth for years. As a result of this dynamic, the country currently led by Narendra Modi has become the second market largest smartphone market in the world after China.

Despite this, as reported by TechCrunchmillions of people still use basic phones. This could be seen as a great opportunity to boost sales of more advanced devices, but it is not as simple as it seems.

When a portion of the population clings to basic mobile phones

The Indian mobile phone market has a number of features that make it quite unique. In Spain, for example, feature phones, basic phones with old-fashioned physical keyboards are rare. Users, even those on a budget, often use smartphones.

The analysis firm Counterpoint It notes that feature phone shipments in India saw a 10% year-on-year growth. Interestingly, 2G phones account for 75% of the mobile phone market share.

These data certainly do not go unnoticed. While some operators in other parts of the world have stopped providing 2G service, and others They plan a “blackout”in India it is still of great importance for the communication of millions of people, The Economic Times explainsSomething different happens with 3G networks, which are generally dying prematurely.

One of the phones Jio is currently selling

However, efforts to boost smartphone sales in India are currently facing two obstacles. For one, many people do not have the money to buy a smartphone. The figures reveal that around 712 million people subsist on less than $2.15 a day, that is, they are below the poverty line.

On the other hand, the emergence of feature-rich basic phones on the market has hampered the growth of more modern smart devices. Jio, the country’s largest operator, introduced the JioPhonea basic phone with support for popular apps like Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube which quickly became a real success.

Jio’s feature phones have since evolved, adding 4G connectivity and more features, but maintaining a vertical form factor with traditional keyboards, small, low-resolution displays and modest cameras. The company’s next step is to offer a 5G-compatible model.

Images | Jio

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