India's $11 cellphone could change the world

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The mobile market in India is flooded with new phones: three a day last year. Local provider Micromax has a gamble to claim a slice of that.


It aims to sell ultra-low-cost barebones phones in bulk, and win the war of cost-sensitive consumers. Recently, Chinese mobile firm Xiaomi has exceeded one million smartphones in India, and India's Micromax seeks to chip away at that and become one of the top five companies in their country.


The Micormax Joy phone is no iPhone. Selling at around $11, it is a candybar style device with color screen and keyboard wheel controls, and runs on the Android-based Cyanogen OS.


It comes in a plastic bag and bubble wrap. Specs here.

Here is an Unboxing video of the practically-free smartphone.

(via Quartz)