Realme TV spotted on BIS site ahead of official release

Realme earlier this year announced expanding its footprints beyond smartphones. Smart TVs is one of the confirmed lineups and is expected to debut this year. Ahead of an official release, details of the first Realme TV have surfaced online.

Spotted on the BIS site, Realme TV is listed with a 43-inch display and model number JSC55LSQL. The device is listed as Realme TV 43 with an LED panel. The listing was first spotted by leakster Mukul Sharma.

Realme CEO Madhav Sheth had earlier announced the company will launch smart TV in the second quarter of this year. With the Covid-19 pandemic deferring all the key product launches in India, Realme TV's arrival may also be delayed.

Realme will join a growing list of smartphone companies venturing into the smart TV market. Xiaomi has already a big lineup of smart TVs across price brackets and enjoys a big market share in the online space. Motorola and Nokia smart TVs have also debuted in India, courtesy Flipkart. TCL and Vu have also grown over the years.

According to Counterpoint's 'TV Tracker Service' report, India saw a record 15 million units of TV shipments in 2019, registering a 15% increase year-on-year. The market was driven by budget smart TVs by brands such as Xiaomi, Samsung, TCL, and VU. Samsung led the overall market.

"Affordability and value for money are the key growth drivers. The new crop of brands such as Xiaomi, TCL and others are tapping their existing relationships with e-commerce channels such as Flipkart, Amazon, etc to successfully distribute the TVs affordably with a direct-to-consumer model," said Senior Analyst Karn Chauhan.