Reliance Jio delays launch of low-cost smartphone amid chip shortage

The 4G-enabled smartphone, to be priced below Rs 5,000, is crucial to Jio's strategy as it aims to win over 300 million 2G customers

Reliance Jio’s low-cost smartphone will be put on the market before Diwali because global semi-conductor shortages have forced the company to delay its September 10 launch.

In a late Thursday evening announcement, Jio and partner Google said both companies had begun testing JioPhone Next with a limited set of users for further refinement and were working to make it available more widely for the festive season.

“This additional time will help mitigate the current industry-wide, global semiconductor shortages,” the companies said in a joint press statement.

During Reliance Industries’ annual general meeting in June, Chairman Mukesh Ambani had announced JioPhone Next would be