NxtQuantum AI-powered 5G smartphones to be next market giant-killer

Madhav Sheth, founder of NxtQuantum Shift Technologies and the man behind Realme’s meteoric rise in India, is laying the groundwork to launch an ultra-affordable, AI-powered 5G smartphone, priced under ₹ 5,000.

 

Currently, the cheapest 5G smartphones in India are priced above ₹8,000. Sheth’s latest offering promises not just affordability, but also compatibility with standalone and non-standalone 5G networks.

 

“We don’t have a truly successful Indian smartphone brand today — that’s the gap we’re aiming to fill,” Sheth told Business Standard, who after quitting Realme tried bringing back the Honor brand to India with limited success.

 

“Our goal is to sell 2 million units in the first six months through our two models: The Pulse and the Nova 5G AI+,” he said.

 

The phones are being designed in-house, avoiding hefty royalties to foreign licensors. Assembly is being done in India through a partnership with United Telelinks. Both these phones are expected to be launched in the country in the first week of July.

 

By cutting out distributors and directly connecting with over 10,000 retailers, the company is also streamlining its supply chain. Online sales will be handled through a strategic partnership with Flipkart. 

 

To power them, NxtQuantum is collaborating with Chinese chipmaker UNISOC, becoming the first brand in India to use its new T8200 chipset. This mid-range 5G platform supports high-definition features such as 4K video recording and advanced camera capabilities, competing with Qualcomm and MediaTek alternatives typically used by rival brands.

 

According to Sheth, while 2G phones average around ₹2,000, 5G smartphones remain in the ₹10,000 range — a gap foreign brands are unwilling to bridge. “We’re building a product for the masses—something global players haven’t prioritised,” he explained.

 

Sheth, who has a stake in NxtCell India through which Alactel phones are being launched in India, is bringing in Chinese company TCL's (which owns the Alactel brand) next-generation Nxt paper display technology through a transfer of technology. Mimicking the experience of reading on paper, the display reduces eye strain and enhances visual comfort.

 

“Instead of paying royalties, we’re entering a barter-like arrangement where we help scale up sales of their displays in India and also use them into select NxtQuantum models,” Sheth said. For the assembly of the displays, it has already tied up with Dixon Technologies.

 

Going forward, Sheth envisions increasing domestic value addition to 25–30 per cent in 3–5 years. Currently, about 60–70 per cent of a smartphone’s bill of materials lies in key imported components such as the chipset, camera modules, and displays.

 

With India's component ecosystem maturing — especially under the new production-linked incentive scheme for electronics components — he believes a significant shift is underway.

 

“Our ambition is not just to sell cheap smartphones, but to create a tech brand with strong roots and global potential,” he added. 

Setting a tone 

*  To launch 5G phones under ₹5,000 with standalone & non-standalone network  

  *  These smartphones to be unveiled in first week of July

  *  Target is  2 million sales in 6 months, using UNISOC's 5G chipset

  *  Plan is to have 25-30% domestic value addition in 3-5 years