Google and Reliance Jio have announced that they will be working together so they could launch a new Android-based OS (Operating System) that will be used in affordable smartphones.

Mukesh Ambani, the Chairman of the Reliance Industries, announced that they will be developing new smartphones that will be accessible to the massive Indian smartphone users that still use 2G.

Jio and Google official entered into a commercial agreement to jointly develop an entry-level 4G or even a 5G affordable smartphone with optimizations to the Android operating system and Play Store.

Ambani during the AGM stated that the company is aiming to make India “2G-mukt”, which means to get rid of 2G.

In order to achieve this, the company hopes to provide affordable “4G or even 5G” smartphones running an Android-based operating system.

Ambani, who is the Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, said:

Google has empowered millions of Indians to access helpful information and, like Jio, is a force for change and innovation. We welcome Google onboard and are excited about our partnership for what it can deliver to Indians, from universalising Internet usage to deepening the new digital economy and providing a prime mover to India’s economic growth. Together, we hope to play a strong facilitative role in the transformative journey of building a new, Digital India.

The company claims that they will rethink the entire process from the ground up.

The new initiative aims to make all residents in India own smartphones.

Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, said:

Reliance Industries, and Jio Platforms in particular, deserve a good deal of credit for India’s digital transformation. The pace and scale of digital transformation in India is hugely inspiring for us and reinforces our view that building products for India first helps us build better products for users everywhere. Google is proud to invest ₹ 33,737 crore into Jio. I am excited that our joint collaboration will focus on increasing access for hundreds of millions of Indians who don’t currently own a smartphone while improving the mobile experience for all.

Google and Reliance Jio have confirmed the new strategic partnership.