Lava launches world’s first customisable smartphone developed in India

PTI, Jan 7, 2021, 2:05 PM IST

New Delhi: Home-grown mobile device maker Lava International on Thursday unveiled the world’s first customisable smartphone that will allow customers to choose the components — camera, memory, storage capacity and colour — on their own from the company’s website.

The customisable smartphone series, branded as MyZ, has been developed indigenously at Lava’s facility and will be available for purchase from January 11, Lava International, president and business head, Sunil Raina said while announcing the launch.

”The world’s first customisable phone from Lava will enable customers to choose from up to 66 combinations of camera, RAM, ROM and colour. This will give them freedom of choice based on what they think suits their usage. They can customise and upgrade their smartphone at any time based on their need,” Raina said. The company has been making devices for brands like Nokia, based on their requirement.

”Customers can also come to upgrade their mobile phones at any time of their device life. They can choose any of the components of their choice — front camera, rear camera, RAM (random access memory), ROM (read only memory) and colour on pre-purchase and upgrade from lower configuration to higher configuration. The entire program has been done by talents in India,” Raina said. He said that the company is looking at acquiring 5 per cent market share this year with a new product portfolio.

As part of the new product portfolio, Lava unveiled the first phone designed by its engineers in India, Z1, which comes with 2GB RAM and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection with a military grade certification priced at Rs 5,499 a unit. The company expanded its portfolio of smartphones in high-end also with military grade certification Z2, Z4 and Z6 built on Mediatek octa-core processor with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, 5,000 mAH battery in the price range of Rs 6,999 to Rs 9,999.

MyZ along with Z2, Z4 and Z6 will be available for purchase from January 11 across online and offline channels. Lava is one of the 16 companies that qualified for the production linked incentive scheme of the government. The company is eligible for incentives on mobile phones priced under Rs 15,000 a unit under the domestic company category of the scheme.

”I don’t think any other company is providing Corning Gorilla Glass protection in the price segment that we are doing. I haven’t heard of any other mobile phone company giving 6GB RAM and 64 GB ROM combination under Rs 10,000 price segment like we are giving in Z6. ”This year we are looking at getting 5 per cent market share in the smartphone segment and grow from there. We will meet PLI targets for current fiscal,” Raina said.

Lava claims to have manufacturing capacity of 4 crore feature phones and 2.6 crore smartphones per annum. The company also announced foray into wearable segment with BeFIT smartband for Rs 2,699 a unit that can measure body temperature, oxygen level, heart rate etc.

Lava’s phone upgrade service Zup, smartphone Z1 and BeFIT smartband will be available for purchase from January 26.