Micromax Bharat 1 first impression: Backed by an affordable plan from BSNL!

Name: Micromax Bharat 1 first impression: Backed by an affordable plan from BSNL!
Item: Micromax Bharat 1 first impression: Backed by an affordable plan from BSNL!
Rating: 3.0
Author: Vijeta

Micromax has launched a new mobile handset whose closest competitor is the Reliance Jio Phone. It has specifications and design very similar to the Jio Phone and retails for Rs. 2,200.

By Vijeta

| Updated: Thursday, October 19, 2017, 11:18 [IST]

The ripples created by Reliance Jio seems to have gained wind and it's now taking the shape of an upturning tide. Micromax, following the lead of the Jio Phone, has come up with a direct competitor for the latter. The Bharat 1 is a 4G enabled device that is very similar to Jio Phone and has been labelled with an equally competing price tag of Rs. 2200.

Micromax Bharat 1 First Impression: A bold competitor from Micromax and BSNL

The handset aims to penetrate through the rural Indian market with the sole motive to provide internet connectivity to one and all. Micromax Bharat 1 is bundled up with usage plans from BSNL and users can enjoy unlimited internet, calling, SMS and roaming services for as cheap as Rs. 97 per month.

So let's go ahead with the first impression of the device and find out how does it fares against rivals from Jio and Airtel.

Specifications: Has it all!

Micromax Bharat 1 is a 4G enabled mobile phone that offers long lasting battery life and internet connectivity over 4G bandwidth. It has a QVGA display, an alphanumeric keypad and a 2000 mAh battery.

It supports connectivity through WiFi and Bluetooth. The device also offers users an option to convert it into a WiFi hotspot. It has a 2MP rear snapper and a VGA camera on the front.

Design: Simple and minimalist!

It is quite obvious that a mobile phone as cheap as the Bharat 1 does not offer a boastful design. However, in terms of form factor and usability the device does not disappoint. It has a 2.4 inch QVGA display and a physical alphanumeric keypad.

The keypad has individual keys which would allow users with big thumbs to operate the phone with ease. The front panel also boasts a VGA camera on top while the rear panel has a 2 megapixel snapper along with Micromax branding at the bottom.

The bottom edge houses a micro USB 2.0 port along with 3.5 mm audio jack. The top edge, on the other hand, is acquired by a small LED torch.

The phone itself is small in size and is meant for operation with a single hand. It comes in a single black colour.

Operating system and UI: Close to Android

Micromax did not disclose the operating system the phone is running, however, once you find your way into the settings menu you will notice that it is peculiarly similar to the Android OS.

You can browse through the menu of the phone by simply navigating left and right from the home screen. Similar types of apps are bundled together on each screen. Talking of app, Micromax Bharat 1, has an assortment of applications to offer which includes YouTube and Micromax's own internet browser.

Users also get access to live tv, online music, movies and videos through an app for each of the aforementioned purposes. The device offers support for 22 different Indian languages which will further give the device a practical usage norm to people of all ages.

Battery: 2000 mAh!

Micromax Bharat 1 has a 2000 mAh battery and given the limited power dissipation, it will very easily last for more than 2 days. However, this is just an speculation and we can only give you exact figures once we review the device.

It uses a micro USB 2.0 port for charging its battery.

Conclusion: Tough competition ahead!

Micromax Bharat 1 is very close to the Jio Phone in terms of design and usability. However, the Jio Phone uses the Kai OS whereas Bharat 1 sticks to a much convenient OS that offers a UI similar to Android.

Similar to Jio Phone, it allows users a free access to online content, although it does not offer NFC and virtual assistant support which the former does. But then on the other hand the Jio Phone does not double as a WiFi hotspot which the Bharat 1 does.

Well, we need to go through both the devices thoroughly to give you a concrete verdict, however in the initial usage I found that the Bharat 1 is as good as any device in its category.

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