This HTC M8 wannabe from India costs just $47


Yes, you read it right. India’s Spice just launched the Smart Flo Mi-359, an HTC M8 impostor for 2899 INR, or $47!

We hope you don’t get your hopes too high; if you did, here’s what should bring them back to the ground (aka phone specifications): a 3.5-inch 480 x 320 pixel display, a 1.3GHz dual-core CPU, 256MB RAM (are they still doing that?), 512MB of on-board storage, a 2 mega-pixel main camera and a 1.3 mega-pixel front facer. To power all this, the Mi-359 comes with a 1400mAh battery.

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If its any consolation, the device comes with Android v4.4 KitKat out of the box, which is more of a need than a luxury on a device like this. However, at just $47 you can’t really ask for more; you also get to flaunt the devices curves and faux metal body among those who aren’t privy to the existence of the HTC M8.

Indian manufacturers have been churning out some rather interesting devices of late. While clones, lookalikes and wannabes do show up every now and then, it’s the real game changers that really interest us. Do you think Indian OEMs have it in them to give the Chinese a run for their money?

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18 Comments

  1. iKosh
    August 2, 2014

    Oh my gosh, it’s terrible! They even wrote 2.0 MP on the camera like it’s a big deal.

    • yudhir
      August 3, 2014

      Its got a flash!!!

      • iKosh
        August 3, 2014

        It’s a two tone flash. I wonder what’s on the other side, laser autofocus?

  2. ARUN SUBRAMANIAN
    August 3, 2014

    Bare Minimum specs: 800×480,512 mb RAM,4GB ROM,1800 mAH is the norm these days..this is way too budget!…this phone shall do more harm than good…not at all worth the low price.

    • iKosh
      August 3, 2014

      You can almost buy a Jiayu F1 for that price.

  3. Fenix2412
    August 3, 2014

    256MB of RAM? What is this running? Android 2.3.7 ?

    • August 3, 2014

      KitKat 🙂

      • Fenix2412
        August 3, 2014

        It’s sad to see that they produce something like this… my first Android smartphone had 512mb of RAM (and it cost only around $95) and it was something like 3 years ago…

        • August 3, 2014

          Yep, me too. Sadly, the market is driven by supply rather than demand.

  4. yudhir
    August 3, 2014

    Better specs than the flashlight posted earlier!!!

    • iKosh
      August 3, 2014

      Yeah but the flashlight has bigger batteries and it’s fun to use.

      • yudhir
        August 3, 2014

        But that can only run one app .ie: Flashlight

  5. Rich Almoney
    August 3, 2014

    Poor people always pay the most and wind up getting the least. Millions of people will be purchasing cheap or defective Chinese or Indian made phones that will either not work properly from day one or will break within a few months. Then they’ll go out and buy the “upgraded and improved Spice Phone”! Very sad, but such is reality.

  6. Faux-News
    August 3, 2014

    Fact is large number of people will buy these phones in places like india. the pricing is close to a Nokia 220.

  7. Bartman
    August 4, 2014

    The perfect vacation phone, don’t be too harsh on the great effort of bringing something useful to the users that cannot buy a new flagship phone every year. It is by far better to own one of those inexpensive ones than to stick with an old Nokia phone with nothing but great SMS typing tactile feedback :).

  8. Bartman
    August 4, 2014

    Ah I just checked with their website, it has 512 MB RAM and not only 256 MB :).

    • bart
      August 4, 2014

      sorry, my mistake 512 MB storage and 256 MB RAM 🙁 yet still a cool phone to carry around on a vacation trip.

  9. rememberus
    August 6, 2014

    Burn it now!!!!!!