Realme all set to be among the first brands to launch 5G phones globally this year

OPPO sub-brand Realme has managed to carve a niche for itself in the budget smartphone segment and with the launch of the Realme 3 Pro, the company has started catering to the upper-midrange market as well. During the launch of the Realme X in China last month, Realme Global CEO Sky Li hinted about plans for 5G phones but didn't offer any specifics. Now, Realme India CEO Madhav Sheth revealed on Twitter that the company is planning for launching 5G phones this year itself.

Using the hashtag #5GisReal, Sheth indicated that Realme is eyeing a global launch of 5G phones. The company is also looking to launch 5G devices in India "as early as possible". 5G is available only in certain pockets across the world with broader rollout expected in most countries by 2020. In India, several players such as Vodafone, Reliance Jio, and state-owned operator BSNL are ensuring that the infrastructure is in place for 5G deployment as soon as the spectrum is allocated.

Speaking to GSMArena, Sheth expected the devices to be ready in time or even before the operators start offering 5G services. Knowing Realme, one can expect to see cheaper 5G phones — much cheaper than even the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G that currently retails for €599. 

Realme's current top-of-the-line offering in India is the Realme 3 Pro featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC and a 25 MP selfie-camera starting from ₹13,999 (~US$200). Realme fans in India have been expecting the Realme X, essentially a Realme 3 Pro variant with a 48 MP main camera, AMOLED screen, and pop-up selfie camera, for quite some time now. However, Sheth confirmed that the Realme X will launch in India only in H2 this year.