FOLLOWING realme's virtual inaugural 5G summit together with GSMA, Counterpoint Research and Qualcomm, the brand announced that it plans to equip 100 million young people with 5G smartphones in the next three years.
At the summit held on June 3, 2021, realme also unveiled new models in the GT series that focus on 5G performance and camera flagship models, to be released in June and July 2021.
These new devices have been introduced as part of a corporate initiative to promote the worldwide adoption of 5G technology.
MAKING 5G GLOBAL
The summit themed 'Making 5G Global: Accessibility to all' focused on bringing together various industry associations, research institutions, component vendors and device manufacturer leaders to share their perspectives on several 5G topics:
- global 5G connectivity
- global 5G connectivity drivers and the technical details related to 5G evolution
- the relationship between 5G and the younger generation
At the summit, realme also committed to bringing 5G technology to a larger population worldwide.
In 2020, realme launched 14 5G devices in 21 markets, accounting for roughly 40 per cent of its total product portfolio.
Their goal is to increase the number of 5G products to 20 devices across 50 markets in 2022, which amounts to 70 per cent of their output.
Over the next few years, realme plans to launch mobile phones using the latest 5G mobile technology for USD 100 (RM415) to spur an increased usage of 5G devices in developing countries.
EXPLORING NEW CONCEPTS
"Starting with our first 5G model, the realme X50, we have been exploring new design concepts and technical innovations to bring users more slimline and design-rich 5G phones that have a powerful performance," Madhav Sheth, vice president and CEO of realme India and Europe, said at the summit.
"We believe that helping to accelerate the adoption of 5G technology is a critical mission for realme in the 5G era."
Sheth also said that they will work hard to help popularise 5G by listening more to consumers' needs, pushing product innovation forward, and collaborating with our industry partners to build a broader 5G ecosystem.
"realme believes that 5G is for the younger generation – Internet natives who are looking for ways to connect and express themselves beyond the physical world," Johnny Chen, brand director of realme, added.
As a brand dedicated to millennials, realme tries to pay attention to what they want from 5G technology and involve them more in improving the user experience.
"We hope that by empowering the youth, they will become forerunners in 5G adoption and help lead more people into the 5G era," Chen continued.
realme plans to open more than ten 5G pop-up stores worldwide by 2021, allowing young people to create private spaces where they can enjoy 5G experiences such as cloud gaming, ultra-clear AR, live broadcasting and other popular 5G applications.
Kalvin Bahia, the principal economist of GSMA Intelligence, was also in attendance at the summit.
"As of May this year, 60 countries around the world had launched 5G, 12 of which are emerging markets, mostly in Asia," said Bahia.
"While the expansion of 5G coverage is encouraging, a survey conducted by the GSMA found that other barriers to widespread adoption of the new technology among consumers still exist, including device affordability, a lack of digital literacy and skills, and mobile data costs.
Nonetheless, Bahia noted that the worldwide transition to 5G is unavoidable, with the global economy expected to benefit by USD 600 billion (RM2.5 trillion) over the next decade.
Additionally, Counterpoint Research's vice president and research director, Peter Richardson, agreed that 5G's growth has been impressive, with one of the main drivers being the rapid reduction in smartphone prices.
"By the end of last year, we saw some highly competitive 5G products offered at affordable prices in China," he said, noting that realme was the most aggressive, with its V3 5G selling for around USD 145 (RM601).
"With a series of compelling products with great specifications at surprisingly low prices, realme is helping to popularise the technology in many other countries," said Richardson.
"The upgrade to 5G chipsets pushes platform processing performance to remarkable levels, allowing us to maximise the step-change improvements we are seeing in today's smartphone components and hardware," stated Rajen Vagadia, vice president and president of Qualcomm India and SAARC, at the summit.
Vagadia continued by saying that they will bring 5G to all tiers, ensuring that it is available to a wide range of people in developed and emerging markets.
In 2021, realme will open seven research and development (R&D) centres around the world to support the global adoption of 5G products.
These centres will be dedicated to exploring innovative 5G technologies and products.
With 90 per cent of realme's R&D resources dedicated to 5G technology and products at present, realme plans to invest USD 300 million (RM1.2 billion) over the next two years in 5G technology research and product development.
PROMOTIONS AND PHONE PLANS
realme is also partnering with telcos like Celcom to provide Malaysians with realme 8 5G devices and mobile phone plans.
Users can now get realme 8 5G with the Dynamic Ram Expansion (DRE) technology which can expand RAM up to 5G (total up to 13GB) through the Celcom plan.
Users will also receive a free realme 8 5G when they sign up for the Celcom MEGA Lightning L Plus plan.
On top of enjoying lightning-speed Internet, this plan comes with 90GB Internet and unlimited calls to all networks. Visit Celcom stores to find out more.
Visit realme's Facebook and Instagram pages to learn more about their 5G development initiatives.
Written by: Asyraf Khalib
This article originally appeared on Harian Metro with rights to be republished on the New Straits Times.
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