RJIL to start selling JioPhone 2 online from Aug 16

Reliance Jio will launch flash sale of 'JioPhone 2' on Thursday on its website as the Reliance Industries group company looks to increase the number of JioPhone users to 100 million.

"The new high-end model of the JioPhone, the 'JioPhone 2', will be available for online purchase on Jio.com on 16th August, 12pm, in a flash sale," a company note said.

The 4G phone priced at Rs 2,999 will come with QWERTY keypad and provide access to apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Google Maps in addition to existing Jio Apps like JioCinema, JioChat, JioMusic etc.

"Starting 15th August, JioPhone customers will be able to enjoy Facebook, YouTube and Google Maps," the note said.

Reliance Jio offers the first version of JioPhone against a refundable deposit of Rs 1,500 a unit but customers looking to buy JioPhone 2 will have to pay the full amount.

Reliance Industries Limited Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh D Ambani at the annual general meeting had said that there were more than 25 million Jiophone users in India.

"With the added functionalities (apps and new JioPhone), our wider network reach across India and strong retail presence across India, the goal that I have now set for our Jio team is to enable 100 million users on this Jiophone platform in the shortest possible time," Ambani had said.

According to CyberMedia Research, umbrella brand of Reliance Jio phones LYF emerged as the market leader with 27 per cent market share due to sale of JioPhones in the last quarter of 2017. Samsung followed LYF with 14 per cent market share in the segment.