After Ringing Bells Freedom 251 and mPhone, ChampOne Communications is the next company sprouted from obscurity with a smartphone costing Rs. 501. The Jodhpur-based company has opened a website – www.champ1india.com – and has listed ChampOne C1 smartphone with 4G connectivity and fingerprint scanner for Rs. 501. In fact, there is a catch in this price.
Although ChampOne C1 originally costs Rs. 7999, there is a flash sale announced on September 2, during which the lucky ones could grab the smartphone for Rs. 501. Interested buyers can register for the flash sale and can avail a code. This code has to be used on the day of the flash sale and the chosen ones would get the smartphone for Rs. 501. Also, it is valid only for those who opt for cash on delivery method of payment.
Clearly, ChampOne is trying to grab the attention of the potential customers promising a price tag Rs. 501. Currently, ChampOne’s web page registration link doesn’t carry any link. The website has added a message on its home page, which says, “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 your inconvenience and would try to get it fixed as soon as possible. Thank you for your support.” There are also reports that the registration involves a payment, but was unable to check while writing this news.
Specification-wise, ChampOne C1 smartphone offers more than a mid-range smartphone. It comes with a 5-inch screen of 1280 x 720p resolution, 1.3GHz MT6735 Quad-core processor paired with 2GB RAM, and an inbuilt memory of 16GB. Located at the rear is an 8MP camera and in the front, there is a 5MP snapper. The connectivity options include 4G LTE support, 3.5mm audio jack, microUSB, and Bluetooth. A LiPo 2500 mAh battery powers the device and the phone supports 5V/2A Quick Charge. This dual-SIM smartphone runs Android Lollipop 5.1 OS. There are three color variants announced – white, silver and gold.
The company has also listed tablet, watch and a cleaner app on the website as its other products. The “About Us” page doesn’t provide much information about the company.