Working closely with Jio to build affordable smartphone: Google CEO Pichai
Google CEO Sundar Pichai on
Thursday said the company continues to engage closely with partner Jio on the
initiative of building an affordable smartphone and that work is underway on
the project.
Last year, Google had picked up
a 7.7 per cent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 33,737 crore. It had also entered
into a commercial agreement with Jio Platforms to jointly develop an
entry-level, affordable smartphone.
"We are focused on building an affordable phone... we are
committed to making progress on the project and we are working with them
(Jio)," Pichai said in a virtual conference with select reporters from
Asia Pacific.
He, however, did not divulge other details, including possible
launch date and pricing.
Availability of affordable devices, along with cheap data rates
can help bring the internet within reach for more people across the country.
Google's investment in Jio Platforms was part of 'Google for India
Digitisation Fund' that was announced last year. In July last year, Pichai had
unveiled plans to invest Rs 75,000 crore (USD 10 billion) in India over the
next five to seven years to help accelerate the adoption of digital
technologies in the country.
"Google is also looking at new opportunities to deploy funds
from its USD 10 billion India Digitisation Fund (IDF), and will make some
announcements later this year," Pichai said on Thursday.
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