A sub $65 dual sim smartphones that has similar functions to the iPhone 5S is set to be made available in Australia.

Manufactured in India the Karbonn A50S has a 3.5-inch
480×320 pixel screen, 512 MB of memory, front and rear camera, 1.2 GHz
processor and comes with Android Jelly Bean, it will connect to a 2G, 3G
network and has built in Wi Fi and a touchscreen.

Currently available in India the new device is set to go on
sale internationally, the UK will be the first market followed by markets such
as Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. The device can be purchased by
Australians now via the Company’s web site. Fonearena is currently listing the
new smartphone for $62.

It also has two Sim-card slots which enables the user to
swap between different networks using different phone numbers. 

Ben Wood, head of research at CCS Insight, a mobile phone
research company told the UK Daily Mail “Ten years ago the technology was
expensive, but that’s not the case anymore”.

‘Android has been the great leveller in the market because
anyone can install it, while the hardware from places such as China is
incredibly cheap and reliable.’

Carolina Milanesi of consumer research firm Kantar
Worldpanel said that western nations are only just waking up to the potential
of smartphone technology with has been cheap for several years.

She said: ‘About seven years ago manufacturers in China
started teaming up with chip makers. They took the standard workings of a
smartphone and made huge numbers at low cost.’ They then attach a screen, a
case and a camera and take it to market at low cost.

She added ‘So far they have been focusing on emerging
markets, mainly Africa and south Asia, but now they are beginning to look
closely at mature markets like Australia.’