Apple CEO Tim Cook 'joins' Akash Ambani at iPhone 8's India launch

Akash Ambani, son of Reliance Industries Ltd Chairman Mukesh Ambani, on Friday launched the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus at Reliance Jio's headquarters in Navi Mumbai.

"Nearly 500 million Indians are unable to access superior technology of 4G. It's for them the Jio launched, effectively the free India ka smartphone -- the Jio phone. With this, they will be able to access free voice and access high speed internet at their convenience, even at the remotest corner of India," Mukesh Ambani addressed the gathering via video conferencing.

IANS had earlier reported that Reliance Digital would offer a 70 per cent buyback on iPhone 8 and 8 Plus after one year on the original purchase price to those returning the device.

"4G coverage in India will be better than 2G coverage, thus enabling every Indian to benefit from the fruits of this superior technology. We at Jio are grateful to all Indians who have wholeheartedly supported the brand and loved Jio till date," Ambani said.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook also addressed potential buyers through video conferencing. "The(phones) make everything we love about iPhone even better. We think you will love the new glass and aluminium designs with wireless charging and new retina HD displays. iPhone 8 has the smartest, most powerful chip ever in a smartphone, the A11 bionic, designed by Apple," said Cook.

He added: "We've added new keyboards for India so we now support 11 local languages, and iPhone now takes dictation in Hindi. We're excited to be building so many new relationships in India, including tens of thousands of developers across the country now writing apps for iOS."

"Our partnership with Apple will deliver the best customer experience and the best value. For the best customer experience, it is important for the best phone to be on the best network. Jio's network engineering team has ensured that the true 4G advanced Jio network will unleash the potential of a device like the iPhone 8," Ambani said.

"We are going to provide deep integration of Apple's entire gamut of services on Jio's network so that it provides a superlative customer experience. Jio, in association with Reliance Digital, will continue to provide path-breaking and customer friendly deals that will make the desirable iPhone 8 affordable for millions of Indians. I hope that millions of Indians will take advantage of this and become Apple and Jio customers," he added.

Talking about the features of the phones, Cook added: "It has our best cameras, portrait mode and portrait lighting and the highest quality video capture on a phone. With iOS 11, these new iPhones deliver an amazing augmented reality experience like nothing you've ever seen before. I think you're really going to love this feature."