Smartphones are becoming more widely used around the world as feature phones and standard cell phones are becoming more obsolete. But smartphones aren’t always affordable, and those buying on a budget often find themselves without buying options.
A company in India hopes to change just that, and will start shipping a R60 smartphone later this week.
The Freedom 251 smartphone has been on sale in India since February for ₹251 (approximately R61.34) and is currently being marketed as the world’s cheapest smartphone.
Given that South Africa is one of the world’s biggest markets for feature phones and other affordable cell phones, the Freedom 251 could prove extremely popular if and when it sees a local release.
Before you get too excited, it’s important to remember that old saying “you get what you pay for”. The Freedom 251 is, in essence, a barebones smartphone, with many of its features found on other top-tier smartphones nearly a decade ago. Still, it’s hard to argue with a R60 price-tag.
Here are some of the Freedom 251’s features
4-inch screen
8GB storage
1GB RAM
8Mp/3.2MP camera combination
1800mAh battery