India seeks to restrict Chinese smartphone makers from selling devices cheaper than Rs. 12,000 to kickstart its faltering domestic industry, dealing a blow to brands including Xiaomi. The move is aimed at pushing Chinese giants out of the lower segment of the world’s second-biggest mobile market, according to people familiar with the matter. It coincides with mounting concern about high-volume brands like Realme and Transsion undercutting local manufacturers, they said, asking not to be identified discussing a sensitive matter.

Exclusion from India’s entry-level market would hurt Xiaomi and its peers, which in recent years have increasingly relied on India to drive growth while their home market endures a series of Covid-19 lockdowns that crippled consumption. Smartphones under Rs. 12,000 contributed to a third of India’s sales volume for the quarter through June 2022, with Chinese companies accounting for up to 80 percent of those shipments, according to market tracker Counterpoint.

Xiaomi’s shares extended losses in the final minutes of trading in Hong Kong on Monday. It slid 3.6 percent, extending its decline this year to more than 35 percent. It’s unclear whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government will announce any policies or use informal channels to convey its preference to Chinese companies, the people said.

New Delhi has already subjected Chinese firms operating in the country, such as Xiaomi, and rivals Oppo and Vivo, to close scrutiny of their finances, which has led to tax demands and money laundering allegations. The government has previously employed unofficial means to ban Huawei and ZTE telecom equipment. While there’s no official policy prohibiting Chinese networking gear, wireless carriers are encouraged to purchase alternatives.

The move shouldn’t affect Apple or Samsung, which price their phones higher. Representatives from Xiaomi, Realme, and Transsion didn’t respond to requests for comment. Spokespeople from India’s technology ministry also didn’t respond to Bloomberg News inquiries.

India amped up pressure on Chinese firms in the summer of 2020 after more than a dozen Indian soldiers died following a clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbours on a disputed Himalayan border. It has since banned more than 300 apps, including Tencent’s WeChat and ByteDance’s TikTok, as relations between the two countries fray.

Homegrown companies such as Lava and Micromax comprised just under half of India’s smartphone sales before new entrants from the neighbouring country disrupted the market with cheap and feature-rich devices.

Chinese smartphone players now sell the vast majority of devices in India, but their market dominance has not been “on the basis of free and fair competition,” India’s junior tech minister told the Business Standard newspaper last week. Recurring annual losses posted by most Chinese handset makers in India, despite their leading position, add to criticism of unfair competition.

In private, the government continues to ask Chinese executives to build local supply chains, distribution networks and export from India, suggesting New Delhi still very much wants their investment, the people said.

© 2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 are expected to go official on August 10. Ahead of the official confirmation, a fresh leak has tipped the colour options as well as RAM and storage details of the new Samsung foldable smartphones. Both Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 are tipped to come in three different colours and two RAM and storage configurations. Separately, live images of the devices have surfaced online suggesting the possible design. The renders suggest a triple rear camera setup on the Galaxy Z Fold 4.

A report by 91Mobiles has claimed the colour variants and RAM + storage configurations of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4. As per the leak, the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 4 will come in three colour options — Beige, Grey-green, and Phantom Black. The Galaxy Z Flip 4, on other hand, is said to be offered in Bora Purple, Graphite, and Pink Gold shades in India.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is said to come in two configurations — 12GB RAM + 256GB storage, 12GB RAM + 512GB storage. The Galaxy Z Flip 4, in contrast, is said to arrive in 8GB RAM +128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage options. The information is in line with past leaks. Both the phones could go on sale in India starting August 26. However, there is no official word from Samsung on it.

Separately, tipster Noh (@noh_tech) has shared leaked live images of Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 on Twitter, tipping the design from all angles in unfolded mode. The leaked live shots show the handsets in a blue shade with a design similar to previous generation foldable phones.

The renders of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 show a triple rear camera unit arranged in the upper left corner at the back along with an LED flash. The live shots also suggest an under-display camera. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is seen with flat edges. In unfolded mode, the horizontal crease on the clamshell folding display is visible.

Both the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 are expected to be launched on August 10 at the Galaxy Unpacked event. The company has recently started pre-bookings for the “Next Galaxy smartphones” in India without revealing the exact moniker and price details.

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Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G India launch date has been set for August 10, the Chinese company confirmed on Sunday through its official social media channel. It is teased to come with a triple rear camera unit, headlined by a 64-megapixel camera sensor. The company unveiled the Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G in select global markets in June alongside the Tecno Camon 19 Pro. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 810 SoC, paired with 8GB of RAM. Other key highlights of the phone include a display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 16-megapixel selfie camera and a 5,000mAh battery.

The launch of the Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G in India will take place on August 10, Tecno announced via a post on Twitter. Ahead of the launch, the Chinese vendor is actively teasing key specifications of the phone via social media channels. It is confirmed to offer a 64-megapixel camera sensor and 0.98mm thin bezels. However, the time of the launch event and India pricing details of the smartphone are yet to be announced.

To recall, the Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G was unveiled in select global markets in June with a price tag of $320 (roughly Rs. 25,000) for the 8GB + 256GB storage model. The Indian variant can be expected to be priced in the same range.

Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G specifications (expected)

The Indian variant of the Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G is likely to carry similar specifications as the global model. The handset launched earlier this year runs on Android 12 and features a 6.8-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,460 pixels) display with 120Hz refresh rate. The display also has a hole-punch design. It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 810 SoC, along with 8GB of RAM.

As mentioned, the Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G is equipped with a triple rear camera setup led by a 64-megapixel sensor paired with RGBW+G+P 1/1.6 aperture lens. The camera unit also includes two 2-megapixel cameras for macro shots and bokeh photos. For selfies, there is a 16-megapixel camera. The Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G offers up to 256GB of inbuilt storage and is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with 33W Flash Charge support.

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