Although it started only in 2016, Reliance Jio is now India’s largest telecommunications company and has helped drive the adoption of digital services with data plans that are among the cheapest in the world. However, it is not resting on its laurels and is actively looking to expand its scope by offering technology hardware, such as basic 5G phones and virtual reality glasses. What’s also in development is an affordable laptop that runs Android and is powered by a Qualcomm processor.
According to a report by XDA Developers, Jio is building a laptop – dubbed the JioBook – which could be announced later this year. Instead of using Google’s Chrome OS, which works very well on insufficient hardware, it is said to run a bifurcated version of Android 10 (at least the EVT model) that can be called JioOS. If so, the bad experience of Android apps on big screens can limit its appeal.
On the hardware side, the prototype is powered by the Snapdragon 665, which we saw on phones like the Redmi Note 8 and Nokia 5.3. The Qualcomm chip has a built-in X12 modem that will allow the laptop to connect to a 4G network, Jio’s flagship product. Various configurations have been tested, apparently, including variants of 2 GB + 32 GB and 4 GB + 64 GB.
A prototype of JioBook, complete with a Windows key.
This image of an EVT model shows a very basic looking laptop that probably uses polycarbonate or a similar material to keep costs down. Don’t be fooled by the Windows key, as this appears to be a recycled keyboard used for testing purposes only. It will be exchanged for a more suitable key (probably Google Assistant) during the later stages of development.
Apparently, the JioBook was not built to impress an audience hungry for specs. Given the company’s track record of offering affordable hardware (read: JioPhone), it was meant to be a low-cost connected laptop for a segment of the population that probably never had one before. Alternatively (or in addition), this could also be positioned for the education market in India.
