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realme will launch a 5G smartphone in 2019: set to take on Mi Mix 3 5G?
Realme has come a long way since first being formed as an Oppo sub-brand last year. The brand has since established itself as a major player in India and has also launched its first devices in China and Europe recently.
realme isn’t stopping here though, as the company has announced on Twitter that it’ll be launching a 5G smartphone later this year.
#5GisReal …. Straight out of meeting room with Mr. Sky Li. Glad to share you our latest R&D updates: #realme will be among the first brands to bring 5G products globally this year. And we are determined to bring the best of technology to India as early as possible. pic.twitter.com/cVNOA6f9Iw— Madhav 5G (@MadhavSheth1) June 6, 2019
The brand didn’t reveal any more details, but the firm has a reputation for bargain-priced hardware. We’d therefore expect realme’s first 5G phone to be cheaper than 5G devices from the likes of Huawei, LG, and Samsung.
For what it’s worth, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G retails for 599 euros — significantly more expensive than the 4G variant (~424 euros) but way cheaper than other 5G devices. And with realme aping Xiaomi’s bang for your buck strategy in Europe and India, don’t be surprised to see a similar or even cheaper price for its first 5G device.
Where could its 5G device launch though? Well, CEO Madhav Sheth previously suggested to GSMArena that India could be part of the first wave.
“In India we will be ready by the time the operators are ready. Maybe even before the operators are ready,” Sheth told the outlet at the time. But with 5G networks already available in the likes of the U.K., Italy, and Switzerland, it seems like a sensible idea for realme’s first 5G device to launch here too.
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