Chinese smartphone and accessories maker Realme – formerly a sub-brand of Oppo – was expected to launch its first smart TV earlier this year, at MWC 2020. However, the cancellation of the trade show due to concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus meant that Realme had to push back its launch timeline. It now appears that the company is close to launching its first smart TV, with the remote control having received Bluetooth certification. This suggests that Realme could be preparing to launch the new television in the coming weeks.
A new report by MySmartPrice tips that a remote control from Realme has cleared Bluetooth certification. The listing page doesn’t reveal too many details, apart from the fact that it runs on Bluetooth 5.0. With this certification in place, Realme could be preparing to launch the television soon. To recall, after the delay from the MWC 2020 launch, the company had confirmed it would be launching the Realme TV in India in Q2 2020, and the latest certification is in line with this.
India is a key market for Realme, and its first smart TV could largely be aimed at Indian consumers. An earlier report based on a BIS listing suggests that the Realme Smart TV series will come with a starting screen size of 43 inches, although the model number suggests that it could also be available in a 55-inch screen size. The company, known to be in fierce competition with Xiaomi, could price its first smart televisions starting at under Rs. 30,000.
With the coronavirus lockdown in India set to extend till the end of April (at least), Realme could be preparing to launch the Realme Smart TV series as soon as possible, although we could see an online product announcement before India availability is detailed. Not much else is known about the Realme TV series, but it’s safe to expect these to be 4K HDR smart TVs with support for popular apps and streaming services.
Mi TV 4X vs Vu Cinema TV: Which is the best budget TV in India right now? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.