14 DAY TRIAL // Indian handset manufacturer Spice Mobility has just announced that it will soon launch the first dual-SIM Android smartphone in the country, the MI 270.
In a recent interview for 'The Mobile Indian,' Dilip Modi, managing director, Spice Mobility, said:
“In this week we will launch MI 270, India's first Android based dual SIM phone. It will have a number of pre-loaded free applications to address the digital lifestyle of youth, and it will be priced at around Rs 9,000.”
It appears that the MI 270 will be an entry-level Android smartphone that will run the Android 2.1 Eclair platform.
The phone is expected to come with a surprisingly large 3.7-inch capacitive screen. Equipped with a 600 MHz processor, the phone will feature a built-in Media Tek chipset.
The Mi-270 will be available for purchase this week at Spice Hotspots and other retail chains for Rs 9,000 (about $200).
Although Spice is focusing on delivering affordable Android smartphones on the Indian market, it is a common fact that support for these devices are almost inexistent across the country.
The company is trying to appease the Indian consumers' thirst for Internet browsing, as analysts predict that around 27% of total mobile users in India use the internet on their handsets and that by 2015 the number will reach 75% .
The handset manufacturer has already launched two Android smartphones on the Indian market, the Mi-300 and Mi-310.
The first is an Android 2.1 device with a 3.15-inch capacitive touchscreen, as well as support for 3.5G and HSPA.
The handset has a 5-megapixel photo snapper, Wi-Fi connectivity, and integrated GPS with AGPS support.
The Spice Mi-310 is the company's 'flagship' phone as it features Android 2.2 (Froyo) on board.
Among the traits of the phone, one can notice the built-in GPS and Wi-Fi hotspot functionality with support for up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices.