Lenovo to launch sub-Rs 10,000 4G smartphone

NEW DELHI: PC and mobile device vendor Lenovo on Tuesday said that it will launch a new 4G affordable smartphone at the Consumer Electronics Show 2015 (CES), which will take place in Las Vegas in early January.

The phone will be based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset. The device will be launched in India soon after it is showcased at the CES 2015, the company said in a statement.

According to a company source, the upcoming smartphone would be priced aggressively under Rs 10,000 to compete with the affordable dual-mode 4G devices-- Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G and Micromax’s YU Yureka.

Lenovo has already launched its mid-range 4G smartphone, Vibe X2, at Rs 19,999, which is exclusively available on ecommerce market place Flipkart.

Besides these players, Xolo, Gionee and Microsoft Device have also launched affordable 4G smartphones in the country in the 8,000-15,000 range. Players like Motorola, LG, Huawei and Karbonn have announced plans to launch devices at these price points soon.

Mobile handset makers are seeking to get the first-mover advantage ahead of the launch of 4G data and voice services across India by Mukesh Ambani's flagship telecom venture, Reliance Jio Infocomm, and expansion of offerings by the country's No. 1 carrier Bharti Airtel.