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$4 Android Smartphone From India To Begin Shipping Next Week (ndtv.com)

Posted by msmash on from the bizarre-world dept.

Earlier this year, an Indian smartphone company called Ringing Bells unveiled the Freedom 251, an entry-level Android smartphone that was priced at Rs. 251 (roughly $3.7 USD). It didn't take long for the company to stir controversy -- soon after media got the device, they learned that Ringing Bells had disguised Adcom Ikon 4s (retail price: $60) as the Freedom 251 smartphone for marketing and media reviewing purposes. The company at the time noted that it was just a sample device. Furthermore, it was clear that components in the sample device alone would cost more than Rs. 2,000 ($30). Ringing Bells, standing by its earlier commitment, has now announced that it will begin shipping the Freedom 251 handset starting next week.

The Freedom 251 unit which will ship to consumers reportedly features dual-SIM capability, 1GB of RAM, a 1.3GHz SoC from an unnamed chipset maker, 8GB of internal storage, an 8-megapixel rear camera, 3.2-megapixel front-facing shooter and a 1,800mAh battery. How did the company manage to get the price of the handset this cheap? In a separate interview with Times of India, the company noted that it has partnered with a number of software firms to pre-install their apps on the phone.

7 of 49 comments (clear)

  1. Easy by jasper160 · · Score: 2

    I am curious how much the cost of the phone really is?

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    No good deed goes unpunished.
  2. Money is in the software by slapout · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sounds like they're making money off the other companies preinstalling apps and using that to subsidized the cost of the phone.

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    Coder's Stone: The programming language quick ref for iPad
    1. Re:Money is in the software by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Works for me, first thing I do when getting that thing is to root it anyway.

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      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  3. Custom ROM? by The-Ixian · · Score: 2

    I am sure it is only a matter of time before people are able to buy this thing, wipe it and install a clean ROM on it.

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    My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
  4. Emachine by Thelasko · · Score: 4, Funny

    So, this is the E-machine of smart phones?

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    One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
  5. Re:Pre-installed apps by phrostie · · Score: 2

    let me know when it's supported by cyanogenmod

  6. Re:Give you slight insight into what Ferraris cost by Gr8Apes · · Score: 2

    Ferraris can be stamped out; Most of the expense is setting up the factory, after that the real cost, once you ignore licensing fees, is so low it would boggle the mind.

    FTFY

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    The cesspool just got a check and balance.