Jio Apps at Rs 1,250: What’s in it for users

- By Spandan Bhattacharjee

Reliance Industries’ chairman Mukesh Ambani declared a mobile tariff turf war at the company's annual general meeting (AGM) today and how -- from free voice calling for users over the Jio network to offering hitherto unimaginable data speeds of upto 135 Mbps. So much so that, shares of all incumbent telecom operators slid soon after the elder Ambani ended his 45-minute-long speech.

The company announced up to 10 tariff plans in an attempt to grab the user base across sections. Noteworthy amongst the tariff plans offered, is an interesting note – a Jio app subscription worth INR 1,250 bundled across all plans. The subscription valued at Rs 19,000 annually will be rolled out for free till December 31, 2016.


So what all do you get as a part of the free Jio subscription? Well to be honest, there’s a lot on offer. Bluntly said, RIL’s going all out to grab as many subscribers from the market as it can to literally leapfrog as the country’s premier and preferred mobile and data network.

The Jio App or ‘MyJio’, as the company addresses the application, is basically a group of entertainment, lifestyle and customer service applications bundled inside one application. Though they are to be downloaded separately, one needs to install the MyJio app first to get an access to the other apps.


The repertoire of MyJio apps consist of:

JioOnDemand: A one-stop platform for movies, TV shows, music videos, and trailers across languages and genres
JioBeats: A wide array of HD songs in over 20 languages with impeccable clarity and an enriching experience
JioMags: A huge library of premium and popular magazines with a wide choice in regional content as well
JioXpressNews: A live channel to receive the latest news from the best sources across the planet
JioChat: For instant messaging with high quality voice and video conferencing.
JioDrive: On the lines of Google Drive and iCloud, for storing files and accessing them anywhere anytime.
JioJoin: Meant for turning the smartphone into an HD voice and video calling device (dubbed VOLTE ready)
JioMoney: Similar to Apple Pay and Google Pay, for making and receiving payments
JioSecurity: Launched in association with Norton, meant for safeguarding the phone against virus, malware and firmware attacks
JioNet: A personal wi-fi hotspot
JioPlay: A mini DTH service with access to over 300 TV channels and over 30 HD channels
MyJio: For accessing account information, usage details and managing multiple Jio accounts

By bundling so many services within a single subscription, RIL is not only takes telecom battle to the next level but also takes on players from other segments such as DTH and mobile payments.