In an insightful interview with Realme India Product Manager, Bazul Kochar, we delve into the brand’s commitment to democratizing 5G technology, with a focus on the highly-acclaimed “C series”. With an impressive track record of over 100 million C series shipments globally and 30 million users in India, Kochar discusses the series’ impact and the reception of recent models like the Realme C55 (review) and C53. Shedding light on the new Realme C67, the first 5G product in the C series, Kochar details its standout features. Additionally, he addresses the brand’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Let’s delve into what he has to say about the brand’s latest budget option in the crowded Indian market.
Digit: The C-series has always tried to democratize features for the masses. How has the user response been to this series? Can you share it year-on-year growth metrics?
Bazul Kochar, Realme: The realme C series has been loved & adored by users across the globe and has always been one of our key product lines and we are thrilled to see it being well-received by consumers worldwide. With its exceptional features, the realme C series has proven to be a popular choice among consumers seeking reasonable smartphones. Since our inception, we have shipped more than 100M C Series products. Today, we have a massive user base of 30 million users in India. Through the C series, we aim to provide our users with cutting edge technology & innovative features at an accessible price point. Our realme C55, launched in March 2023, sold over 100,000 units within just 5 hours of its launch. Within the first 5 months, the realme C55 hit another milestone, achieving 1 million shipments offline. The realme C53, launched in July 2023, achieved over 1 million shipments within just two months of its launch.
Digit: The C67 brings 5G to the sub-15,000 price point, but your more budget variant – the C51 is still 4G. Would we see a 5G option at the 10K price point like the realme C55 from last year?
Bazul Kochar, Realme: At realme – we never say never! We have always aimed to provide consumers with feature-packed smartphones at accessible prices. We take pride in our ability to pack premium features in a more accessible form factor, ensuring that our devices cater to a wide range of consumers. We continuously evaluate the market and consumer demands to offer products that meet their evolving needs. We understand the importance of accessibility, and we stay committed to providing the best value to our users in India.
Digit: What are the three standout features of the realme C67 that set it apart from the competition?
Bazul Kochar, Realme: The realme C67 5G offers a powerful Dimensity 5G 6nm Processor Chipset that ensures seamless performance that integrates with the 33W SUPERVOOC Fast Charging technology enabling this device to charge from 1 to 50% in just 29 minutes.
It also boasts several standout features that distinguish it from the competition. The smartphone comes with a sleek 7.89mm ultra-slim Sunny Oasis design that is inspired by the Sunny Oasis, where the bright texture lines, a dazzling lens ring, and a vibrant green back panel create an oasis that is sprinkled with sunlight, radiating positivity, energy, and hope. Then there’s the 120 Hz Ultra Smooth Display that promises an immersive and stylish user experience. It also features a 50MP AI camera with a wide range of photography modes such as Super Nightscape mode and Street Photography mode that allows users to showcase their photography skills. The smartphone offers a redesigned Mini Capsule 2.0, which includes features such as functional scenario description, animation design instructions, demand time node, and claim collection. The smartphone additionally features IP54 water and dust resistance, which ensures reliability amid life’s adventures.
Digit: How important is it for realme to democratize 5G? What are some 5G trends that realme has set its sights on in 2024?
Bazul Kochar, Realme: 5G democratization is always one of our important strategies. Democratizing 5G is crucial for realme, aligning with our commitment to ‘Make in India’ and cater to the youth demographic. realme has been at the forefront of democratizing 5G and it was the first brand in India to introduce a 5G smartphone with the realme X50 Pro in 2020. In 2024, we’re focused on expanding 5G across diverse price ranges, ensuring this transformative technology is accessible to all. That’s why we introduced C67 – the first 5G product in C Series, empowering the youth with cutting-edge technology that’s not limited to premium devices, which shows its commitment to democratize 5G in India by introducing it into all the realme smartphone series. Incorporating latest technology like A.I, will help us in providing a comprehensive experience for the consumers.
Digit: The C67 is marketed as the fastest charging phone in the segment at 33 W, but the Narzo N53 already has that at a lower price point. Is this statistic for 5G phones only?
Bazul Kochar, Realme: With the realme C67 5G, we are providing users with a better 120Hz Dynamic display, a powerful Dimensity 5G 6nm Processor Chipset, 33W fast charging technology with a fast charger in the box. It’s not only the 5G chipset, the overall performance & experience has been improved with multiple features. While the realme narzo N53 provides similar charging speeds at a lower cost, our commitment lies in delivering top-notch performance and value across diverse segments, including those with 5G capabilities.
Digit: Many brands have moved towards more sustainable packaging materials for their phone retail boxes. Will we see a push from realme towards sustainability this year?
Bazul Kochar, Realme: realme has always understood its position as an environmentally responsible brand. To that point, we are committed to promoting sustainable practices in our day-to-day business operations and reducing our carbon footprint.
Demonstrating our commitment to the environment, in 2022, we launched the realme GT 2 Pro, the world’s first smartphone to use a biopolymer derived from renewable resources such as paper pulp and SABIC’s biopolymer which reduces carbon emissions during manufacturing of the rear panel by 35.5%. Every million GT2 Pros made with paper tech master design are the equivalent of 3.5 million fewer plastic bottles being produced. With “3R+1D” as its design concept, realme is steadfast in promoting the reduction, reuse, recyclability, and degradability of products and packaging.
For realme GT3 launched in Feb 2023, we partnered with the world’s renowned industrial designer, Naoto Fukasawa, who came up with a premium flagship paper tech master design.
In terms of product development, realme incorporates environmental protection and sustainable development principles into its product life cycle management, which includes green design, green packaging, hazardous material control, and product recycling measures. For realme, business operations and social responsibility go hand-in-hand. We intend to continue our efforts towards sustainability and stand tall on our promise of ’Leap-to-Greener’ by coming up with more environment-friendly initiatives to build a greater and greener world.
Digit: What is the target market realme is gunning for with the C67 5G?
Bazul Kochar, Realme: The realme C67 5G is tailored for the youth in India, aligning with their dynamic lifestyle and tech-forward preferences. It caters to those seeking affordable yet high-performing smartphones with 5G capabilities. Our target market prioritises value, performance, and future-ready technology, making the realme C67 5G an ideal choice for young users who seek a blend of affordability and advanced features.
Digit: realme cameras have improved over 2023. Will we see this improvement on the budget C67 as well?
Bazul Kochar, Realme: Our commitment to enhancing camera capabilities extends across all our models, including the realme C67 5G. At realme we are committed to reducing the technological gap between our entry level and high-end smartphones. With the strategic upgrade for the C Series early this year, to elevate the benchmark of entry-level phones, we aim to deliver products with segment-leading features in 4 areas, camera is one of them.
Consequently, we continuously strive to optimize and refine camera performance across every smartphone that we offer since today’s youth is strongly focused on visual storytelling. The 50MP AI camera of realme C67 5G, comes with a wide range of photography modes such as Super Nightscape mode and Street Photography mode that ensures a better photography experience.
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Dhriti Datta
Perpetually sporting a death stare, this one can be seen tinkering around with her smartphone which she holds more dear than life itself and stuffing her face with copious amounts of bacon. View Full Profile
