Realme postpones Narzo-series launch due to Covid-19 lockdown: Details here

The announcement to postpone the launch came after the MHA changes its stance on relaxations provided to e-commerce platforms on the deliveries of good other than essential items

Chinese smartphone brand Realme has suspended the Narzo-series launch for the coronavirus lockdown. The series was earlier set to launch in late March, but the company postponed the launch in view of a countrywide lockdown due to coronavirus crisis. The company rescheduled the online launch event for April 21 after the Ministry of Home Affairs announced some relaxations to e-commerce platforms after April 20. However, the recent changes in the order by MHA to restrict e-commerce deliveries for essentials pushed the Realme Narzo launch further.

“In alignment with the recent order shared by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India on the prohibition of the supply of non-essential goods by e-Commerce companies, realme has decided to postpone the online sales of its smartphones and the launch of its Narzo series until further notice. Thanks for all your support as always,” said the company in a statement.

Touted to be aimed at youth-centric populace, the Narzo-series will come with two new smartphones under the Realme product portfolio. Named the Narzo 10 and Narzo 10A, the smartphones are touted to bring features such as 48-megapixel based multi-optic rear camera module, big capacity battery, gaming-centric processor, and more. Importantly, the phones are expected to be value-for-money propositions aimed at budget and midrange segment.

With regard to price, the recent move by the government to raise the goods and services tax (GST) on smartphones to 18 per cent made smartphone makers like Xiaomi, Realme, Apple and others raise the prices of their phones. While one may anticipate that the hike would impact the Narzo-series prices, the company recently said that the Narzo-series prices were decided after considering the GST hike and exchange rate. This may mean that the company would absorb the price hike, or it may pass of the hike to end consumers by including it in the product prices.