The India Mobile Congress (IMC) has become the go-to event for most major product unveilings and showcases in India over the past few years.
And with the primary theme of the IMC 2019 edition revolving around the much-awaited roll-out of fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks in India, there was little talk in the corridors other than which 5G smartphone would beat which to the Indian market.
But, before hard-core smartphone enthusiasts get excited, if there’s one thing that came across as crystal clear from a host of industry experts at the event, it is this: A few early models of 5G smartphones are likely to begin making it to India from next year, or even the last month of 2019, but 5G networks on which you can use them are unlikely to arrive in any force before the next three years.
“The few models that might be launched over the next few years will primarily be launched to milk branding value out of being one of the first 5G models in the country, but it will be largely useless without 5G networks to use them on. With the government yet to even fully decide on 5G spectrum prices, no 5G network will be up and running before the next three years,” said a senior official of one of India’s smartphone market leaders.
That said, a few smartphone manufacturers and their 5G models, and their rumoured upcoming launch dates were the subject of a fair bit of speculations within the corridors of the IMC event.
Here are a few 5G enabled models which may begin making it to India beginning from the next year:
Redmi K30
The Redmi brand has seen quite a lot of traction in India, with its volumes steadily rising since its entry. The Xiaomi sub-brand has already announced that its first 5G phone will be rolled out next year and sources say it is likely to be the Redmi K30, and considering the company’s historically disruptive pricing, this one could well turn out to be an ‘affordable’ 5G phone.
Company sources indicate the model may be launched in India before the end of next year.
Nokia 8.2 5G
While HMD Global, which currently manufactures and sells the Nokia brand of mobiles, has already confirmed that the next range of Nokia 8.2 phones will be launched over the next few months, sources say that the company is also working on a 5G variant of the series which is most likely to be launched in the middle of 2020.
Realme 5G
This is one company that had announced its intentions to roll out 5G devices by 2020 in the Indian market a while ago.
With the company focused on producing affordable priced models, it is expected that its 5G range of phones in India will be priced aggressively, and sources say the first 5G enabled smartphone from the company may enter the Indian market as early as next year.