Google to partner with Jio to Develop entry level 4G,5G Smartphones

Google + Jio

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) recently announced that its telecommunications department will be partnering with google to develop an Android-based operating system that will feature in entry-level smartphones. With India now focusing on distant learning this looks like a good move from Reliance Limited to equip every indian with a smartphone. The news was shared by Reliance Industries Chairman, Mukesh Ambani at the 43rd Reliance Industries Annual General Meeting (AGM) that took place online due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ambani during the AGM stated that the company is aiming to make India "2G-mukt." To achieve this, the company hopes to provide affordable "4G or even 5G" smartphones running Android-based operating system.

Google revealed that it had signed an agreement with Indian telecom giant Reliance Jio to invest ₹33,737 crores (~$4.5 billion) in Jio Platforms Ltd. for a 7.73% equity stake in the company. This marked the first investment from Google’s recently announced Google For India Digitization Fund, which aims to accelerate India’s digital economy by funding ₹75,000 crores (~$10 billion) in the region over the next five to seven years.

Jio have have launched Jio phone models such as Jio Phone and Jio Phone 2 that run on KaiOS but this phones lack certain functionality then the conventional smartphones

Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who also addressed the RIL AGM through a video, indicated that the partnership between Reliance Jio and Google would enable more users in India to adopt affordable 4G smartphones.

With the Android-based operating system on future Jio phone models, users would be able to access the Google Play store. It will further allow phone users to use Google apps such as Gmail, Google Maps, Hangouts, and many more.