Realme may launch its most premium phone in 2022 for Rs 58,000

Realme is reportedly working on a "proper" flagship smartphone that would likely be priced at around Rs 58,000 (roughly CNY 5,000). According to Realme China President Xu Qi at the China Mobile Global Partner Conference 2021 (via ITHome), the smartphone will be launched next year; however, other key specs and details remain unclear at this time. Currently, Realme uses Qualcomm's flagship chipset, Snapdragon 888, in the Realme GT 5G, although the phone is advertised as the most affordable premium phone. In India, it is priced at Rs 37,999 for the single 8GB + 128GB storage model.

Realme, since its debut in India, has branded itself as a "popular company" and has kept the prices of its products in the most affordable range. Even its first tablet and laptop that debuted this year are still in the most affordable range compared to offerings from brands like Samsung and Xiaomi.

In a way, Realme's philosophy of keeping products in an affordable range also works for parent company BBK Electronics, as its sister brands Oppo and OnePlus have captured India's premium smartphone market. However, Realme is slowly gaining momentum in the country and remains one of the biggest brands in the online market. According to market analyst Catalyst, Realme secured a 16 percent smartphone market share in India in the third quarter of 2021.

Realme also hopes to rival Xiaomi and Samsung, which have been offering flagship Android smartphones globally with the debut of their premium smartphone. Xiaomi recently launched the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, it's the most expensive smartphone that features two displays. Samsung, on the other hand, has been offering premium phones in its Galaxy S, Galaxy Note, and most recently Galaxy Z Fold / Flip series. It is unclear whether Realme's next flagship phone, valued at Rs 58,000, will debut with the existing GT series or with a new brand.