The idea was to explore the power of digital and empower Indians in three ways– Connectivity, Data Affordability and Device Affordability. Our primary research in urban & deep rural areas identified high price and difficulty to use a smartphone as barrier to internet adoption. Millions aspired a smartphone like device which is affordable and easy to use.

Therefore, Jio took up the agenda of offering to real India – Jio phone, a device that was extremely easy to operate and also came effectively free with a returnable security deposit of just 20$. For the first time, a feature phone was powered by voice search, regional languages, online payment interface, one touch applications and many more features becoming a one stop solution to education, empowerment and entertainment.

Jio Phone launch became a game changer and through an online flash sale we sold more than 6 million devices on launch day itself.

A feature phone with 4G LTE technology, unlimited data, free voice calls, multiple apps, cable for linking with TV for enabling a bigger screen, this phone is definitely ‘smarter’ than any other feature phone. It’s a launch pad for internet for many Indians and a tool for empowerment, education as well as entertainment.

It can do many things that its brethren can’t. Many first for a feature phones like video call, voice command and local language integration. The integration with entire Jio ecosystem facilitates JioCinema for movies, Jio Music, Jio Games with downloadable options on the device, local language integrations, JioXpressNews and also its JioStore with NarendraModi, Uber & BookMyShow App.

Additionally, an agriculture based app called JioKisan is also embedded in it empowering huge farmer’s community of India where they can monitor, control and also sell their crops effectively. A NFC based payments app was also put for enabling e-commerce for everyone through Jio Phones. Till now approximately 15 million phones are sold in last 6 months

The exclusive flash sale of Jio Phone became a history in Indian online sale selling 6 million handsets in less than 2 days.

In India, we added 15 million Internet users through JioPhones, empowering them digitally. A digital revolution was brought for those who could not afford internet through a smartphone. In long – term, we plan to get 500 million feature phones users currently without internet to step up to Jio phone and also add new mobile & internet users for the country.

It became a step-up for multi million people, getting empowered by Internet in form of edutainment and more. For the industry, not only we created new customers but also set a precedence and forced competition to launch a similar phones which were affordable and easy to use by many.

This launch will be remembered in the telecom history of India as well as the world. A digital economy can fast track overall economic activities. Hence the objective is to make India a digital powerhouse in years to come.

How a country where 200 million+ people live on less than 1.25$ a day and lack electricity put multi-million people online within a year? It’s a revolutionary pricing for data as well as Smartphones.

India had 500 million feature phone users, but none of them had internet facility. Therefore, Jio Phone was launched effectively FREE with less than dollar a month plan. It came loaded with all smartphone features including Internet. A ground breaking innovation offering millions of Indians with an equal opportunity to live a digital life. It became a platform offering unified solution for education, empowerment and entertainment.

1. Aug 2016: Smart 4G Feature Phone as a category identified ( we named the phone as Jiophone )

2. Sept 2016 : Conceptualization, Business Case and Landscape lockdown

3. Oct 2016 : Operating System , Technology and Specification Lockdown

4. Jan 2017: HW Specification and Industrial Design Lockdown

5. March 2017: Hardware and Software Integrated

6. May 2017: First Video call Made on a 4G smart feature Phone & Live streaming of content enabled

7. June 2017: First NFC transfer made ( NFC- innovative contactless payment System)

8. June 2017: First Feature phone supporting 22 Indian languages (normally 3 are mandated by regulatory bodies)

9. 21 July 2017: Announced for public use with prebooking

10. 4 Aug 2017: Booking open with 5 million pre-bookings (in 2 hours) and record sales of 6 million in less than 2 days

11. July 2017: Voice Assist upgraded to support multiple Indian languages

12. Dec 2017: Google created a new google Assistant for the Jio phone and integrated it

13. Jan 2018: JioPhone becomes the number 1 Feature Phone in India with 26% market Share (for Q4 2017)

14. Feb 2018: Facebook creates a full function app for the Jio Phone and integrated it

500 million feature phone users have been left out of the digital revolution. They cannot avail any benefits of a smart phone, much less the benefits of a 4G LTE smartphone” – Mr. Mukesh Ambani

The cheapest smartphone costed approximately 100$ which was unaffordable for many. Smartphones supporting mainly English and touchscreens were also perceived to be difficult to use due to high illiteracy. Simplicity and intelligence is what defines the product and inspired millions of users to enter into the digital fold.

The only limitation was inability to use multiple apps simultaneously. The objective was to charge minimal in order to get people online, hence the pricing was just 20$ and even with the clubbed promotions and offers it became EFFECTIVELY FREE. It was a conscious effort to pull hordes of Indian online and transforming the world’s largest democracy. We created million mini computers for education, entertainment and empowerment.