Freedom 251 the cell phone for just Rupees 251 seem an exciting offer. But would this really work or would it be like a remake of flop launch of Aakash Tablet in 2011 remains to be seen. The smart phone launched by Ringing Bells Private Limited opened to orders on 18 February 2016 and the product is supposed to be delivered by month of June.
Now about the Phone – The look of the phone is like dwarf form of iPhone9, Has 3G dual SIM and 4inch HD IPS touch screen, 1.3 GHz quad core processor, 8GB internal memory, 1GB RAM, 1450mAH battery and 3.2MP camera but the using one can see the difference. The phone made in Taiwan had slow responding operating system, the camera is there for show – It is almost useless. Though freedom 251 would have the stamp of made in India, 80 percent of the product is manufactured in Taiwan. According to phone dealers, even 250 Rupees would be a waste if the phone does not work properly.
But how will Ringing Bells Private Ltd give it for Rupees 251? The company’s owners are from are agro-business men who were in trading agro products for past three decades. Their experience shows in the 1 page advertisement in news papers. The orders would be taken on their website and will stop when the orders reach two lakhs to two lakhs and fifty thousand. The manufacturing of the phone would actually cost more but the company expects weaving off of duty by government which would to cut the cost by Twenty to Thirty percent. There is also expected cost reduction of Thirty Five Percent by selling through their own internet channel. Lastly a waiver of 13.8 percent is expected by upcoming goods and service tax waiver through startup schemes and make-in-India schemes. The rest would be covered by economics of sales.
