The name Namotel might not ring a bell for most gadget users, but the new Bengaluru-based mobile brand is launching what they claim to be the world's cheapest smartphone. According to company spokesman, Madhava Reddy, the Namotel Acche Din will go on sale for the insanely low price of Rs 99, which is slightly less than US $1.5.
As for the specifications, Namotel Acche Din is said to have a 4-inch display, front and back camera. It runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop, supports 3G and dual-SIM, and has a 1.3GHz quad-core processor along with 1 GB RAM and 4GB storage space.
The smartphone is available for pre-order from May 17 to May 25 on the company's official website, Reddy said at a press conference. The smartphone is part of the "Make it in India" Initiative.
Smartphone marketing is a cutthroat business in India, where the average price of a model is around $150. Firms are now getting into the habit of launching ultra-cheap models in order to break into the market.
Two Indian companies have already unveiled their version of the the "world's cheapest smartphones." Ringing Bell offered the Freedom 251, priced at Rs 251 (US $3.74), and Docoss X1, announced by Docoss company at a price of Rs. 888 (US $13.23). Both gadgets became national sensations not only for their ultra-cheap price tags but also because of the controversies that surrounded them. While Freedom 251 turned into a fiasco due to its inability to deliver the volume of smartphones ordered, the jury is still out on Docoss X1.
