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Creo Mark 1 launched, India’s answer to Xiaomi?

Yash GargApril 13, 2016

India-based Creo (formerly Tewee) have announced their first smartphone — with the tagline ‘a new phone every month’ — in the Mark 1.

For 19,999 INR or $300, buyers in India will be able to afford a 5.5-inch phone with fairly high-grade specifications. While it is true that the MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 isn’t the most powerful processor around, it’s still quite a handful — especially when you don’t play a lot of games on your phone. The Mark 1 features exactly that.

Other specifications of the phone include a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution across the 5.5-inch display, 3GB of RAM, 32GB on-board storage (expandable by another 128GB), a 21 mega-pixel main camera, 8 mega-pixel rear camera and a 3100mAh battery.

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The phone supports 4K video shooting and 120fps slow motion video on its rear camera. Interestingly enough, Creo have already announced 106 service centres that should make potential buyers comfortable purchasing the phone. The company says that this number will rise to 300 in the coming months.

That said, it is the OS (Android skin) that the company seems most excited about. According to Creo, their Android skin — FuelOS — will be what differentiates the Mark 1 from other phones. Creo promise a new update to FuelOS every month, with new features and bug fixes — hence the ‘new phone every month’ hype.

The Mark 1 will be available via Flipkart and Creo’s own website.

Disclaimer: We may be compensated by some of the companies whose products we talk about, but our articles and reviews are always our honest opinions. For more details, you can check out our editorial guidelines and learn about how we use affiliate links.

About the author
Yash Garg
Yash is a blogger by profession, builder of things by passion and foodie by birth. You'll usually find him talking about technology, music, travel and the game of cricket on the streets of Pune when not busy writing or speeding his way through the country! Read more on retro handheld gaming on RETRO91

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- Toby
  April 13, 2016
  Like the rest of the world would.
  What a pathetic device at the price point. A Helio X10 phone is a low mid-end phone, and when manufactured by an unknown Indian company, it should not cost more than $200 (which is a stretch). The ridiculousness of it all is quite apparent in the configuration: A slower clocked X10 driving a 2K display on a 3,100 MaH battery.
  But no worries, this will fade into oblivion very soon. The Indian market isn’t a welcoming place for such idiotic devices. Wait and watch…..
  - King
    April 13, 2016
    Agree with you on the pricing. Vibe X3 comes at the same price. They should have a gone with 1080p resolution, maybe SD650/652 and cut the price. Even at 14k (210-220), they could have gained attention – hitting the Moto X Play which comes with the same camera unit but with SD615.
    I see that people in India (or those I have talked to) prefer buying a phone based on the output of the camera, sound, service centers, candy crush and price. Looks….ummm not very sure how many pay attention to that as most phones put an rubber (read that as case) on purchase.
Chico Migraña
April 13, 2016
Very well made site, phone looks better than Redmi Note 2, 3, I’m sure camera will be better than Xiaomi Redmi ones
- will try to get a unit for review
- King
  April 13, 2016
  The camera unit is the same as Lenovo Vibe X3 (Moto X Style one too)… but can’t say much yet. Need reviews on glass quality and the camera app.

vijay sud
April 13, 2016
This would hardly make it’s presence felt in Already crowded Indian market. The Indian market to catch is INR 11,999, INR 9,999 and lower. Where most action is. But if these guys claim to be Indian, they have got their pricing all wrong for the spec. Under powered, under Batteried phone, will die a natural demise soon.
- - vijay sud
    April 13, 2016
    Already posted on your Micromax article, Yash..Micromax new phones just have the fatal flaw of having puny batteries 3000 mah, bcoz when u consider the Indian network quality, btw worst in world, battery life suffers most. For a 5.5inch phone 4000mah is minimum, more better. Better.
  - Faisal Shaharyar
    April 13, 2016
    hey Yash what Vijay has said is quite clear Creo did an overkill with some specs and thats why the price is shot higher than expected.
    like QuadHD and IMX 230; they should have gone with fullhd and 16MP sensor found on Nubia Z9 mini.
    that would have reduced the cost by 2-3K. which would have made more sense in this market and in terms of battery performance it would be average to better.
    i would want to support them will buy after 1-2 months have to see some reviews. if their software is comparable to Oxygen OS or even Cyanogenmod then i will go for it.

Guaire
April 13, 2016
Xiaomi’s answer would be like that we have a phone for you which has same screen size at a smaller body, much larger battery at lower weight, faster and better supported chip not to mention we have full metal body and a fingerprint scanner and most importantly it costs nearly half of this phone.
Muhammad Yasir
April 13, 2016
- King
  April 13, 2016
  - LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO no no no this was too funny XD
  - Muhammad Yasir
    April 14, 2016

Assefa Hanson
April 13, 2016
i would buy this honestly, it is pricey but this is a new company that likely doesnt have god ties with parts manufacturers to have bulk to lower costs, i dont think creo is even grounded in china, are they?
annnd the software looks nice to me but most of all i would buy it just to support them ANNND the trend for a new company is is passion, they are likely to be hot to give you a nice expereince so its almost guranteed support in the long run tho….
- Morgan
  April 13, 2016
  New companies have a potential guarantee of offering support in the long run? Is the crack stashed inside your rec.tum leaking into your bloodstream due to a hemorrhage? Split and check please.
  - Assefa Hanson
    April 13, 2016
    you and i are human, so we both make mistakes, i left a coma out after i said support, but i did leave 3 periods at the end of my sentence implying that i questioned the longevity of their support,
    but lets just say i didnt make a mistake, it is a FACT that new companies have POTENTIAL of offering support in the long run, im not sure why you have publicly expressed your sexual orientation or interest in my rectum, i say this to you :
    Verb
    4.Slang, to meddle (usually followed by around or with)
    adjective
    35. no longer in effect,in operation or in process
    - King
      April 13, 2016
      These guys have Sequoia Capital backing them. Having said that (and I am in India), I am still wondering why I shouldn’t be choosing the Vibe X3 which comes at the same price. Hardware comparison of the two – SD808/x10, camera is the same, Fingerprint scanner/– (i like it on my friend’s K4 note, works like a charm). The rest is pretty much similar. They can’t say that their Camera app is better. Oh not to forget, X3 doesn’t have a 2k display, but again i can live with that.
      I was at a startup workshop and the first thing the facilitator said – “Solve the problem and do it in such a way that no else does”. Well, if they are solving a “software updates aren’t available in most phone after purchase”, then they should have charged a premium for that – something like 15k phone + 3k post warranty support. You know what I am trying to say. (I am non-native English speaker, declaring it before some bum comes talking about my rectum). 😀
      - Assefa Hanson
        April 14, 2016
        LMAOO, im not gonna lie 2k displays are useless :D, and this phone is not very valuable for what you get, lol i just get excited over anything that is new or seems new in the phone world that i lose my brain LOL, what you say is pretty sound i cant argue
- Yash Garg
  April 13, 2016
  they’ve been around a while. it’s the same guys that did the Tewee stick a couple of years back.
  - Assefa Hanson
    April 13, 2016
Nishikanta
April 13, 2016
Company and Specs looks good. A good option to buy but the only weaknes in find is lack of LTE bands for Rest of the world . Must say phone is delight. Another aspect is Audio not sure how good it is. But display is stunning wonder if it supports themes.