Interview: Realme to launch 13 5G smartphones in 2022, says CEO Madhav Sheth

Smartphone brand Realme India is planning to launch at least 13 5G-enabled smartphones in 2022, Madhav Sheth, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Realme India tells Zee Business in an exclusive interview soon after the launch of Realme Narzo 50 smartphone in India on Thursday.

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"Democratizing 5G technology to the masses has always been our priority and to achieve this Realme will be launching 13 5G-enabled smartphones in 2022, which means more than half of Realme handsets will be 5G-enabled," Sheth said. He is also the Vice President at Realme and President of Realme International Business Group.

"5G will be one of our key focus areas going forward and we have a robust pipeline in place," he said. 

"As a 5G leader, we have launched India's first 5G smartphone - Realme X50 Pro 5G in 2020 to bring leap-forward technology closer to our user's life. As a 5G democratizer, we will be launching 13 5G-enabled smartphones in 2022, which means more than half of Realme handsets will be 5G-enabled. In 2021, the sales of 5G smartphone units are more than 2.5 million, we aim to double it in 2022," he added.

Realme ‘Make in India’ plans

India has always been an important market for Realme, the Realme India CEO said. 

"We are continuously expanding our ‘Make in India’ plans. Currently, Realme has achieved 100 per cent local production of all smartphones and smart TVs in India," Sheth said.

To push Made-In-India further, the smartphone brand has entered into partnerships with local vendors like KHY electronics, Bhagwati Electronics, Skyworth and Videotex International which will enable them to respond quickly to new requirements of Indian consumers.

Realme also collaborated with KHY Electronics for local manufacturing of the Watch 2 Pro, Buds Wireless, and other accessories in 2021.

In Q3, 2021, Realme began exporting smartphones to Nepal to introduce 'Make in India' products to global markets, he highlighted.

On Thursday, the company launched its Realme Narzo 50 mobile phone in India under its Narzo series.

 The smartphone comes with MediaTek Helio G96 Gaming processor, 6.6-inches ultra-smooth display with a 120Hz refresh rate, massive 5,000mAh battery, 50MP AI Triple camera, and unique dynamic RAM expansion technology.

"Narzo series is well-received and performed extremely well since its launch. With its top-of-the-line processor, long-lasting battery, and innovative design, Narzo by Realme, debuted in 2020, has captured a sweet spot with consumers," Sheth said while speaking on its success.

"Today, the Narzo family has grown to over 7 million users and continues to grow," he added.

Job opportunities in India

Sheth revealed that the smartphone company has created more than 13,000 jobs in India. 

"In addition, by 2022, we are working towards achieving 100 percent local production of hearables and wearables. Lastly, under the ‘Make in India’ initiative Realme has created 13,000+ job opportunities in India and will continue to create more in future," he noted.