New Delhi: Handset maker Realme is set to enter the high-end premium smartphone market, in a bid to take on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S series, Mi Ultra and OnePlus, the company founder and CEO Sky Li has announced.
According to Li, Realme will foray into the smartphone market above $800 which translates into the Rs 60,000 (and above) price segment. The company founder had also asked users on Twitter what features they expect from the smartphone OEM in this price category.
"It's official: realme to advance into high-end market with smartphones over USD800. What do you expect most from realme full flagship phone?," Li Tweeted from his handle @skyli_realme.
This will be a significant detour from the company's present strategy. Realme had taken off in India in May 2018 with a budget smartphone, the Realme 1 with 3GB RAM to compete head-on with Redmi. Currently, the Realme GT series is the most pricey lineup from the company, but with this announcement, we can expect Realme to launch phones that compete directly with the iPhone, Mi Ultra and Galaxy S series.
Realme Expanding Footprint In India, Opens 200 Exclusive Stores
The company is also working towards expanding its mainline expansion across the country, Realme has opened 200 exclusive stores in India. The stores have become operational from November will enable users to experience all the latest Realme products.
“Realme’s exclusive stores are a key part of our growth strategy, and are in line with our focus of providing our customers with first-hand experience of realme products. Our offline growth expansion provides us with an abundance of opportunities and contributes to the overall growth of the brand. With our new stores, we are all set on our target of opening 300 exclusive stores across the country this year, and we are excited about expanding this number further in the upcoming year," Madhav Sheth, CEO, Realme India, VP, Realme and President, Realme International Business Group said in a statement.
The company intends to bring more consumers in contact with Realme smartphones and AIOT products. The brand is also looking at expanding its offline presence to 1000+ exclusive stores by the end of next year.