Reliance Jio is reportedly planning to launch a new cloud laptop priced around Rs 15,000, according to a report from The Economic Times. This move is part of Jio’s ongoing efforts to expand its hardware offerings, which include budget-friendly phones and laptops. The cloud laptop will help Jio provide better performance even with entry-level hardware.
The cloud laptop is currently being tested on an HP Chromebook. Interestingly, the cloud PC software could also be accessed on existing devices, like a desktop or a smart TV, without the need to purchase the cloud-based device.
What is a Cloud Laptop?
The laptop, which is expected to launch in India in the coming months, will use Jio Cloud to operate. This approach aims to reduce the high costs associated with traditional laptops by shifting processing and storage functions to the cloud. However, it’s important to note that a cloud-based computer would require a constant internet connection to access these functionalities.
A senior Jio official quoted by The Economic Times explained, “The cost of a laptop depends on its hardware like memory, processing power, chipset etc. The greater capacity of these hardware increases costs as well as battery power. What we are doing is, we are stripping all this and the whole processing of the laptop will happen at the back end in the Jio cloud.”
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Subscription Model
Jio is also reportedly planning to offer a monthly cloud subscription with the laptop, similar to Apple’s iCloud or Google One. The pricing for this subscription will be determined at a later date. According to the report, the cloud subscription is expected to include a range of Jio services, with specialized features available on a higher tier plan.
Jio product line-up
Earlier this year in July, Jio introduced its second laptop, the JioBook (2023), priced at Rs. 16,499. The latest JioBook is powered by an octa-core MediaTek MT8788 processor and runs on the Android-based JioOS operating system.
Earlier this month, Jio also launched the JioPhone Prima 4G feature phone at Rs. 2,599. The phone runs on the KaiOS platform and supports popular apps like WhatsApp, YouTube, Google Search, Facebook, and a host of Jio services. The company is also speculated to be working on a 5G handset.
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Jio expanding broadband offerings
Jio launched its AirFiber service in September, offering digital entertainment and Wi-Fi services. The service provides access to over 550 digital TV channels and subscriptions to over 16 OTT apps. Jio’s AirFiber services are now available in 262 towns in India, with plans starting from Rs 599 a month.
