The much-anticipated JioPhone Next, a budget Android-based smartphone made by Google and Jio Platforms, will go on sale on November 4, adding a new gadget offering to the gizmo markets this Diwali. The JioPhone Next runs on Pragati OS, an operating system powered by an “extremely optimised” version of Android which includes other customised features – including translating text on the screen to as many as 10 Indian languages.

In a statement, Google and Jio informed that their smartphone will be available on the markets at a cost of only ₹6,499, with multiple equated monthly instalments (EMIs) also available, starting at ₹2,000. The JioPhone Next packs a 5.45-inch Corning Gorilla Glass 3 display with HD+ support. It is powered by a Qualcomm quad-core chipset that can clock up to 1.3GHz, and has 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, which can also be expanded later.

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The battery capacity is also decent, with the JioPhone Next packing a 3,500 mAh battery. The phone has a 13-megapixel rear camera with HDR support, and an 8-megapixel front camera with a selfie sensor as well.

Google has been trying to expand its outreach in India with budget smartphones for a while, and the JioPhone Next is its latest attempt at establishing its base among the masses – this time with the help of telecom giant Jio, operated by the Reliance group. Sundar Pichai, the chief executive officer of Google, had noted back in 2017 that markets such as India need phones priced at the $30 (around ₹2,233) point to effectively qualify for mass adoption.

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Now, with the help of Jio, Google is hoping to help as many as 300 million users in India, who are yet to catch up to technology beyond 2G, upgrade to the smartphone age and faster networks. “I have always been a firm believer in the power of Digital Revolution,” said Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, in a statement last month. He added that in the past, the company has “enriched, enabled, and empowered” the lives of 1.35 billion Indians with connectivity. Now, it is doing the same thing but with a smartphone device, he added.