Realme founder and CEO Sky Li revealed the challenger smartphone brand is poised to launch devices into the higher priced segment of the market, with plans to sell handsets for above $800.

Rumours about a move beyond the low-to-mid segment Realme currently occupies have circulated on specialist consumer technology publications for several weeks, news Li confirmed through his social media accounts.

It’s official: realme to advance into high-end market with smartphones over USD800. What do you expect most from realme full flagship phone?

— Sky Li (@skyli_realme) November 12, 2021

The move is a departure from the company’s strategy so far, which has focused on the value and youth markets. Its mid-tier range is often promoted as having flagship-style features and components but at a fraction of the price of high-end rivals.

Currently on its UK retail website the most expensive handset available is the Realme X3 Superzoom pro at £475, though the majority of models are priced between £150 and £300.

Earlier today (15 November) the manufacturer announced forthcoming availability of its Realme GT NEO 2 into Europe, which is also set to be slightly above £450 for the variant with the highest available internal storage.