A $4 phone? India’s Freedom 251 doesn’t add up

A phone should not cost the same as a cup of coffee.

A new smartphone company in India, Ringing Bells, is getting lots of attention for introducing an Android phone called Freedom 251, which only costs about $3.70. It sounds great to have such an affordable phone, but the math for the parts doesn’t add up. Watch CNET Update to learn more about the phone and what reporters in India experienced when they got sample units:

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A $4 phone? India’s Freedom 251 doesn’t add up

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Also in this tech-news roundup, check out a few other unique phones trying to stand out in a crowded market. Newcomer Nextbit Robin stores your apps and photos online to give you more storage, and Caterpillar’s latest ultra-rugged phone has a thermal-imaging sensor built into the camera.

Get ready for a ton more mobile news over the next few days as the Mobile World Congress expo kicks off in Barcelona, Spain.

CNET Update delivers the tech news you need in under 3 minutes. Watch Bridget Carey every afternoon for a breakdown of the big stories, hot devices, new apps and what’s ahead. Subscribe to the podcast via the links below.

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