Chinese smartphone maker Realme laid out ambitions to advance adoption of 5G across India, South East Asia and Europe, with plans to scale up rollout of suitable next-generation products at affordable prices.

In an open letter, Realme CEO Sky Li said the company wanted to make affordable 5G products, with the goal of 70 per cent of its portfolio fitting the bill in those markets within two years.

Realme plans a 5G R&D push, looking to establish seven dedicated teams globally, allocate 90 per cent of its overall resources and pump $300 million into development of the technology, products and use cases for a target customer base of younger users.

Sky noted Realme launched its first compatible device, the X50 5G, in January 2019, followed by a series of devices at a variety of price points, so establishing itself as a disruptor in the “highly competitive market landscape”.

“There is a long road ahead for 5G adoption, but we will continue to push forward, enabling even more users across the globe to experience the benefits of next-generation connectivity,” he said.

Sky added the company wanted to take an active role in building a broader 5G market by working with industry partners including operators to construct networks.

The company made similar pledges when it launched the X50 Pro in early 2020.