Lava to launch affordable 5G smartphone at Rs 10,000 around Diwali

Indian smartphone maker Lava International on Monday said it will launch an affordable 5G smartphone, LavaBlaze 5G, for about Rs 10,000 before Diwali.

The mobile device was unveiled by telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the India Mobile Congress here.

A mobile device expert claimed that at Rs 10,000, the phone would be the cheapest 5G smartphone in the market.

"It has always been our desire to develop an accessible 5G smartphone that is made in India. The product aligns with the larger vision of providing the next-generation 5G technology to Indians at an affordable price point. With the launch of this smartphone we are making the power of 5G technology accessible to all," Lava International President and Business head Sunil Raina said.

Pre-bookings for the Lava Blaze 5G will commence around Diwali this year, he said. Built on MediaTekDimensity 700 chipset, the smartphone will have 50 megapixels (MP) AI triple rear camera and 8 MP front camera and come with an anonymous call recording feature.

"The new 5G smartphone aims to make cutting-edge technology accessible to all. This collaboration is a part of our commitment to furthering the government's Design in India vision," MediaTek India Managing Director Anku Jain said.

Mobile devices expert and The Unbiased Blog Founder Nikhil Chawla said that at around Rs 10,000, Lava Blaze 5G is the cheapest smartphone in India.

"The under Rs 10,000 or USD 125 price tag for Lava Blaze 5G makes it the cheapest 5G smartphone in India. Smartphones like the Lava Blaze 5G will help democratize 5G in India. We did it with the UPI and online payments, and now we will do it with 5G, as India is predicted to have the fastest 5G rollouts in the world," Chawla said.