Realme has expanded its presence in India by regularly launching new devices. The company, owned by Chinese BBK Electronics, has a range of smartphones to take on Samsung and Xiaomi. In addition to phones, it also offers several connected devices, including smartwatches and true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds. Earlier this week, Realme expanded its flagship Realme GT range in the country and launched the Realme GT Neo 2 as the most affordable offering in the new range. Realme also recently ventured into clothing and personal care by introducing sweatshirts, t-shirts, caps, and even electronic toothbrushes and hair dryers.
On this week’s episode of Gadget’s 360 podcast, Orbital host Akhil Arora and reviews editor Jamshed Avari speak with Madhav Sheth, Vice President of Realme and Chief Executive Officer of Realme India, Europe, and Latin America, who takes us behind the scenes at Realme.
Sheth says that with the arrival of the Realme GT series, the company has abandoned its previous Realme X family. However, it is claimed that the new series is built on the legacy of the Realme X lineup and aims to deliver a flagship-like experience at attractive prices.
Realme GT Review: An all-rounder at the right price
“You will see many Realme GT products in the portfolio very soon,” says Sheth. He also hints that the company plans to launch new Realme GT phones next year with support for 125W fast charging.
Unlike its other series, Realme aims for a full-fledged, all-round experience through the Realme GT series, the executive tells us during the conversation.
“You don’t pay the price for logos; you pay the price for the technology. And I think if you’re paying for the price of the technology, you have to feel it. And that’s what GT is all about,” he says.
The Realme GT series expanded on Wednesday with the addition of Realme GT Neo 2. The new Realme phone has features such as a 120Hz display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC to compete with models like the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G and Mi 11X. 5G and Poco F3 GT.
The Realme GT Neo 2 has 5G connectivity and 65W fast charging. It is the third model in the Realme GT series after the Realme GT 5G and Realme GT Master Edition that is on sale in India. Realme GT Neo, two prices in India, starts at Rs. 31,999 for the base 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant and goes up to Rs. 35,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model.
Realme GT Neo 2 First Impressions: This one is for the gamer
In addition to the Realme GT series, Sheth talks about Realme’s ongoing research and development in India. He also touches on the ‘Make in India’ movement of manufacturers like Realme to localize their production.
“Where India is right now, it’s all about assembly and semi-manufacturing,” he says, adding that he’s optimistic about seeing the country move towards achieving full local production over time.
Sheth also highlights Realme’s growth so far in its ongoing festive season sales. He says the company has generated Rs. 3,500 crores in sales during the sale and has become the number one brand on Flipkart in product categories, including smartphones, laptops, and audio and ANC (active noise cancellation).
In addition to online sales, Realme plans to expand its offline presence in the country. Sheth says plans are underway to have 1,000 offline stores next year where it will showcase its entire ecosystem of products to consumers.
We also ask Sheth how Realme differentiates the experience by regularly launching multiple products. He says hosting some product launches is to grow the community.
“It’s not about whether we launch so many products at once or if people get confused, it’s all different product categories. We give users more choices. We’re getting more options for the users to choose from their current market portfolio,” he says.
Realme GT Neo 2T color options teased, tipped to launch soon in India
Later on, the chief of Realme India also talks about why we see 5G phones everywhere, even though telecom networks have yet to roll out their next-generation mobile services.
You can listen to our complete, extended 40-minute conversation with Sheth by pressing the play button on the embedded player above.
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