Ever since JioPhone made it to the market, the affordable phone segment got a major boost. OEMs are now focused on offering affordable smartphones and feature phones with 4G LTE support to take advantage of JioPhone's demand and carriers are partnering with manufacturers to do the same.
Airtel, which has been actively challenging Reliance Jio in every way, has a new OEM partner to offer customers a budget-friendly means to connect to high speed 4G internet without settling for a feature phone. In addition to Karbonn and Celkon, Airtel has now tied up with Intex to offer affordable 4G smartphones with attractive bundles to lower the cost of the device.
Under Airtel's "Mera Pehla Smartphone" initiative, Intex now offers three smartphones, Aqua S3, Aqua A4 and an all-new Aqua Lions N1. Eligible Airtel subscribers can buy any of these smartphones and get periodic cash backs to lower the cost of the device.
If the Aqua Lions N1 interests you, the deal is to pay Rs. 3,149 for a handset that's priced Rs. 3,799 and a Rs. 1,500 cashback will be offered to bring the effective cost of the device down to Rs. 1,649. But there's a catch. Buyers will need to make recharges worth Rs. 3,000 in the first 18 months of purchasing the handset to get a cashback of Rs. 500 and continue it for another 18 months to get Rs. 1,000 cashback.
Customers can choose Airtel's Rs. 169 pack for 28 days, which offers unlimited calls and 0.5GB worth 4G data per day to be eligible for the cashbacks which will be credited to user's Airtel Payments Bank account.
A similar deal is applicable on Aqua S3 and Aqua A4, which are priced at Rs. 6,649 and Rs. 4,999, respectively. Airtel is offering the Aqua S3 and Aqua A4 at a MOP of Rs. 5,879 and Rs. 3,499, respectively. With the Rs. 1,500 cashback, the effective price of the Aqua S3 drops to Rs. 4,379 and the Aqua A4 costs Rs. 1,999.
As for the specs of these new phones, here's everything the Intex phones have to offer.
Intex Aqua N1
Display: 4-inch WVGA screen
CPU: 1.1GHz MediaTek CPU
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 8GB, expandable
Camera: 2MP rear camera + 0.3MP front snapper
Software: Android 7.0 Nougat
Connectivity: 4G VoLTE, Dual SIM, 3.5mm headphone jack, microUSB
Intex Aqua S3
Display: 5-inch HD IPS screen
CPU: 1.3GHz quad-core processor
RAM: 2GB
ROM: 16GB, expandable
Camera: 8MP rear camera + 5MP front snapper
Battery: 2,450mAh
Intex Aqua A4
Display: 4-inch WVGA screen
CPU: 1.3GHz quad-core Spreadtrum SC9832 processor
RAM: 1GB
ROM: 8GB, expandable
Camera: 5MP rear camera + 2MP front snapper
Battery: 1,750mAh
Software: Android 7.0 Nougat.
