Ai+ launches India's first flip phone under GBP £300
Tue, 12th May 2026 (Today)
Ai+ Smartphone has launched the NovaFlip 5G in India, describing it as the country's first flip smartphone priced below Rs. 30,000.
Introduced at Rs. 29,999, the handset sits well below the prices typically seen in the flip phone segment, which has largely been dominated by premium brands.
The launch marks Ai+ Smartphone's push into higher-value devices after the quick sellout of its Nova 2 Series. That line-up included the Nova 2 and Nova 2 Ultra, which the company cited as evidence of growing consumer demand for its products.
Price pressure
Foldable and flip-style phones have remained a small but expensive part of India's smartphone market, limiting wider adoption. By entering the category at under Rs. 30,000, Ai+ aims to broaden the market for the form factor.
The NovaFlip 5G features a 6.9-inch FHD+ AMOLED inner display and a 3.0-inch AMOLED cover screen. It is powered by MediaTek's Dimensity 7300X chipset, paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and ships with Android 15 and NxtQuantum OS.
Cameras are central to the device's positioning. The phone has a 50MP rear camera and a 32MP front camera with autofocus, which Ai+ is using to target consumers who prioritise selfies and video capture.
Other hardware features include dual-SIM support with 5G on both slots, NFC, tri-band Wi-Fi 6 and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. The handset weighs 193g and measures 87.3×76×15.6mm when folded and 169.4×76×7.5mm when unfolded.
The battery is rated at 4325mAh and supports 33W charging via USB Type-C. Ai+ says the device offers up to 310 hours of 5G standby and 19.5 hours of VoNR talk time.
Market push
Ai+ is positioning the product as an effort to lower the cost barrier in a category long associated with aspirational pricing. It also tied the launch to its broader software strategy through NxtQuantum OS, which it describes as an Indian-built operating system.
"The NovaFlip 5G is not just a product launch, it's a category shift. Flip phones have always been aspirational, but never truly accessible. With NovaFlip, we are breaking that barrier. This is where expressive design meets real performance at a price India has been waiting for," said Madhav Sheth, Chief Executive Officer, Ai+ Smartphone and Founder, NxtQuantum Shift Technologies.
The device joins a broader portfolio that includes lower-priced smartphones and a tablet. Ai+ also lists the Pulse 2 at Rs. 7,999, the Nova 2 5G at Rs. 9,999, the Nova 2 Ultra 5G at Rs. 14,999 and the PulseTab at Rs. 9,999.
NxtQuantum Shift Technologies, founded by Sheth, is behind NxtQuantum OS. It says it is building digital platforms in India with a focus on domestic software development and data sovereignty.
In the box, buyers get the smartphone, a 33W charger, a USB Type-C cable, a protective case, a case installation guide, a SIM ejector tool, a warranty card and a user manual.
At Rs. 29,999, the NovaFlip 5G enters a segment that has so far remained largely out of reach for many buyers in India.