Mivi to enter Indian smartphone market this month with the launch of Mivi One 5G

The Big Move Into Smartphones

Mivi, known primarily for affordable earbuds, speakers, and wearables, is placing a significant bet on its first smartphone. The device will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G chipset and will be sold exclusively through Flipkart under the "Flipkart Unique" banner, an exclusive retail partnership model. The company has kept most specifications under wraps, but early teasers reveal the phone in an olive green colorway with a flat rear panel and a flat frame featuring rounded edges. The tagline "Pretty Powerful" hints at solid performance credentials from the Snapdragon silicon.

What We Know So Far

Rumors suggest the Mivi One 5G will sport a 6.7-inch display, though Mivi has not officially confirmed this. Camera setup details indicate a dual rear setup—reportedly 50MP primary and 8MP secondary—paired with a 16MP front camera. Battery capacity is expected to reach 6,000mAh, which is substantial for a budget phone. The device is also rumored to carry an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. Pricing is expected to land around Rs. 15,000, though Mivi has not formally announced the price. The exact launch date on September 26 was confirmed through Mivi's official social media posts.

Strategic Hiring Signals Seriousness

Mivi's appointment of Himanshu Tandon as chief business officer underscores the company's commitment to making this venture stick. Tandon previously headed Poco India and served as Vice President of CMF by Nothing—roles that give him deep experience in the competitive budget-smartphone space where margins are thin and execution is everything. His hire is noteworthy because it signals Mivi is treating the smartphone business as a long-term play rather than a one-off experiment. CMF, the sub-brand of Nothing, had planned several phone launches for 2026 but paused them amid rising memory and component costs—the same headwinds now affecting the entire budget segment.

Why Enter Now?

The timing may seem counterintuitive given that smartphone prices have been drifting upward and memory costs have squeezed margins at the budget end. However, India's first-quarter 2026 smartphone market saw the entry-level segment below $100 fall 59 percent, while the $100-$200 band—roughly Rs. 9,000 to Rs. 18,000—continued to grow. This middle ground is where most buyers now concentrate, and it's precisely where Mivi is positioning the One 5G. Additionally, Mivi already operates manufacturing facilities in Telangana, giving it cost advantages that pure-play importers lack. Local manufacturing means better supply-chain control, quicker iterations, and lower shipping costs—advantages that matter in a market as price-sensitive as India's.

Competition Intensifies

Mivi is not entering an empty field. Fire-Boltt launched the Boltt Ace 5G and Boltt Evo 4G on Flipkart on August 25, just weeks before Mivi's planned unveiling. Ai+ is also active in this space. Meanwhile, established brands like Poco, Realme, itel, Infinix, Lava, and Micromax variants continue to compete fiercely on specs and pricing. This current wave of Indian brands entering smartphones echoes an earlier era when Micromax, Karbonn, Lava, and Xolo competed strongly. That wave lost steam when companies like Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Realme brought faster product cycles, sharper online pricing, and better specifications. Whether Mivi can avoid the same fate depends on execution, supply reliability, and after-sales support—challenges that go far beyond just nailing the hardware.

What to Expect

Full specifications are expected to be revealed as September progresses. Mivi has chosen to drip-feed information through teasers and Flipkart's marketing pages, building anticipation ahead of the formal launch event. Expect pricing clarity and complete spec details to land shortly before or on September 26. The Mivi One 5G represents a significant diversification for a company that built its brand on audio quality at budget prices. If the company can replicate that value proposition in smartphones—delivering solid specs, reliable performance, and good software at the right price—it stands a fighting chance. If not, it will become another footnote in India's recurring cycle of smartphone brand entries and exits.