JioPhone vs Intex Turbo+ 4G: Battle of 4G-enabled feature phones begin

Intex, a homegrown information technology maker and mobile phone manufacturer, becomes the second company in India to rollout 4G VoLTE-enabled feature phone after Reliance Jio. Dubbed as Turbo+ 4G, the phone is one of the devices that were launched under ‘Navratna Series’ of feature phones in a price range of Rs 700 – Rs 1,500.

In the Reliance annual general meeting 2017, Mukesh Ambani unveiled India’s first 4G VoLTE-enabled feature phone bundled with Jio services. The JioPhone is considered as a major step towards enabling 50 million feature phone subscribers on to high-speed 4G data network.

Ever since the JioPhone announcement, other mobile phone makers and telecom operators came in to play to introduce their own version of feature phone capable of operating on 4G networks. 

Now that there is a competitor to Reliance JioPhone, let’s see how both the devices fare in terms of features and specification:

The Reliance JioPhone sports 2.4-inch QVGA screen, which may not seem enough to watch videos and other multimedia content but is sufficient for basic internet browsing and regular tasks of a feature phone. 

The Intex Turbo+ 4G also features the display with same resolution. In terms of display, there is no difference and both the feature phones stand in the same league.

Specifications	Reliance JioPhone	Intex Turbo+ 4G
Display	2.4-inch QVGA	2.4-inch QVGA
Connectivity	4G LTE, VoLTE	4G LTE, VoLTE
Software	KaiOS	KaiOS
Processor	Dual-core	Dual-core
Storage	4 GB, expandable via microSD	4 GB, expandable via microSD
RAM	512 MB	512 MB
Camera	3MP	2MP + VGA
SIM	Integrated	External
Battery	TBA	2,000 mAh
Price	Free, security deposit of Rs 1,500 (refundable after 3 years)	Rs 1,999

Processor, Storage and RAM

The JioPhone is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, which is touted to be powered either by Qualcomm or Spreadtrum. The Intex Turbo+ 4G, on the other hand, is powered by a dual-core processor of unknown name, There is no clarity on the processor manufacturer and it is speculated that the phone will come with Spreadtrum processor.

Both the phones feature 4 GB internal storage, expandable using microSD card, coupled with 512 MB RAM.

Operating System and Battery

Both the feature phones run on KaiOS operating system, made by Firefox, which is designed to run basic apps and services in low-specs phones. The Intex Turbo+ houses 2,000 mAh battery, whereas the details of JioPhone battery is not yet revealed.

Pricing

The JioPhone is effectively priced free and can be availed only by depositing a security deposit of Rs 1,500, which is refundable after 3 years. On the other hand, the Intex Turbo+ 4G is priced at Rs 1,999. Both the phones will be available sometime around Diwali this year.