All Realme launches, including Nazro smartphone series, postponed amid country-wide Covid-19 lockdown

Chinese smartphone maker Realme has cancelled all its upcoming launches, including that of its Nazro smartphone series, amid a country-wide Covid-19 lockdown. In a tweet on Wednesday morning, Realme India CEO Madhav Sheth said that it is time for everyone to focus on families. The Realme Nazro series was scheduled to be launched on March 26 during an online event. 

“With respect to the announcement made by our Honourable Prime Minister yesterday, we have decided to suspend all upcoming launches including #realmeNarzo series. Time for us to focus on our family & ourselves. Stay at home, stay safe & cooperate with local authorities,” Sheth tweeted on Wednesday. 

A 21-day lockdown was announced by PM Modi on Tuesday evening. The smartphone industry has also been hit by the coronavirus outbreak with Realme and Xiaomi launching their last two series online, after cancelling the on-ground events. The company had also cancelled the live streaming of Nazro series launch. Instead, it was planning to pre-record the launch and put it on YouTube on March 26. 

With respect to the announcement made by our Honourable Prime Minister yesterday, we have decided to suspend all upcoming launches including #realmeNarzo series.

Time for us to focus on our family & ourselves. Stay at home, stay safe & cooperate with local authorities. pic.twitter.com/4FmdanvgHL

— Madhav 5G (@MadhavSheth1) March 25, 2020

Meanwhile, Realme has confirmed that it will not pass on the GST hike to users with its new Narzo series as the company has decided to absorb the cost. "Realme Narzo pricing will consider the GST and currency rate and the price of the devices will not be increased in April,' the company told IANS.

"The cost of Realme Narzo series has already been considered keeping the GST hike and currency rate," the company added.

With the GST Council, headed by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, increasing the GST on mobile phones from 12 per cent to 18 per cent, industry experts had indicated that it would hit the industry and brands would not be in a position to absorb this impact.