Realme launched its budget mid-ranger, the Realme 9i 4G, in India, on January 18, 2022. Although smartphone has been in the leaks a lot these last couple of weeks. One thing to note is that it is indeed not a 5G model. The smartphone is priced aggressively as well in the Indian market. However, if you were expecting a Realme 9i 5G model in the future – this news might disappoint you.
Also read: The Realme 9i India Launch Set for Today: How to Watch Livestream, Specs & Price
In an interview with the Realme CEO Madhav Sheth, 91mobiles learned that there are no plans for Realme 9i 5G in India. Instead, the brand will soon introduce the Realme 9 Pro series that will have 5G support. He also explained why this phone launched with 4G connectivity instead of the in-demand 5G connectivity.
“Being a 5G leader, Realme will keep democratizing the market with its 5G smartphones. But at the same time, we want to cater to the needs of a diverse range of consumers. While 5G has grown popular and consumers are willing to purchase 5G-enabled devices, we understand that a significant share of our users still look for 4G devices. Therefore, Realme will continue to bring in 4G devices as well to ensure that all its users can experience the latest technologies.”
Realme CEO Madhav Sheth on Realme 9i 5G
Furthermore, he also points that the company has already launched a lot of 5G phones in the past few months. Like Narzo 30 Pro 5G, Realme GT, Realme GT Master Edition, Realme GT Neo2, etc. He also iterates that they will bring more 5G phones in the future. He also confirmed the launch of Realme 9 and Realme 9 Pro in India soon. Both of these offer 5G connectivity, unlike Realme 9i.
In the meantime, Realme 9i 4G launched in India at a price of Rs. 13,999 for the base 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage variant. It will go on its first sale on January 25, 2022. You can find more detailed information about the smartphone here.
Sushmita Choubey
Marketer to the core, a writer from the soul. Engineer and an MBA turned budding tech writer - dabbling her hands in all genres of writing from tech to fiction. If not writing, you will always find me reading anything and everything. Otherwise, you will find me learning new languages.