New Delhi: Ever since Ringing Bells’ Freedom 251, we have seen the likes of Mango mPhones, Namotel Acche Din, and Docoss X1 trying to grab the spotlight by promising a smartphone at a very low price. Another unknown Indian company is now joining the list, called ChampOne Communications. The Rajasthan-based company has launched a ‘Made in India’ smartphone with 4G LTE support and a fingerprint scanner, but the talking point is the Rs 501 price tag. As with such claims though, there’s almost always a catch, and the ChampOne C1 is no different.
For starters, the ChampOne C1 isn’t actually priced at Rs 501, but Rs 8,000. The Rs 501 is simply a marketing gimmick to get as much publicity as possible. The Rs 501 price tag is only valid for those who are lucky enough to be chosen for the first flash sale on September 2. One needs to basically head over to the www.champ1india.com website, and fill the given form to register for the flash sale, and you will get a unique code that should be used on the day of the flash sale. The offer is only valid if the buyer chooses the cash on delivery option.
At the time of filing the story though, the register button was not working, and instead there is a message on the homepage — “We are facing technical issue with our payment gateway partner [Ccavenue (Avenues India Pvt. Ltd.)]. You would not be able to register for the application for next 24 hours. We sincerely regret for your inconvenience and would try to get it fixed as soon as possible. Thank you for your support..”
We tried the customer care numbers mentioned on the website as well, but they didn’t seem to be working. ChampOne Communications is reportedly certified with MCA India, and the C1 is a ‘Made in India’ smartphone. A quick look at the website also reveals that the company plans on launching a tablet and smartwatch as well.
Now, there’s not a lot wrong with an Indian company launching an affordable smartphone at Rs 8,000. It’s the Rs 501 gimmick that we find a tad annoying. Despite all the controversies, companies are still looking to be trying to cash in on the Freedom 251 fad. By promising a smartphone for Rs 501, ChampOne is no doubt looking to grab some limelight, and it seems to have succeeded to an extent.
But it remains to be seen if it can actually deliver a smartphone to a consumer at that price. With the registrations system already broken, early signs are not that promising. We implore our readers to not fall into such traps, and not share their personal details with such companies. DON’T MISS: Ringing Bells Freedom 251: Hands-on with the world’s cheapest smartphone
ChampOne C1 specifications
The ChampOne C1 features a 5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels) IPS display and is powered by a 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6735 quad-core processor paired with 2GB of RAM. There is also 16GB of internal storage on offer, which can be expanded using a microSD card.
The smartphone also features an 8-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel selfie camera, a 2,500mAh battery, and a fingerprint scanner at the back. Connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots, 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. On the software front, it runs on Android Lollipop 5.1.
Features
ChampOne C1
Display : 5-inch HD (720p) IPS
Processor: 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6735 quad-core
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 16GB
Rear Camera : 8-megapixel
Front Camera ; 5-megapixel
Battery : 2,500mAh
Connectivity : Dual-SIM, 4G LTE, micro-USB, 3.5mm audio jack
Misc : Fingerprint scanner
Software: Android Lollipop 5.1
