PhonePe Unveils 'Made in India' Smart Speaker – Big Boost for Merchants

Digital payments platform PhonePe has rolled out the next-generation version of its SmartSpeaker device, introducing improvements in connectivity, charging speed, and battery life. The company revealed that the updated device is built in India, in line with its broader localization strategy.

 The device remains available in 21 languages and includes voice notifications for successful transactions, reducing the need for merchants to constantly check their phones for updates.

Also Read: PhonePe Becomes A Public Company Ahead Of IPO: All You Need To Know | Republic World

According to the press release shared by the company, some of the key upgrades in the latest version include 4G network support for improved connectivity and faster performance. The device also features quicker charging—reaching full capacity in about 75 minutes—and a longer battery life with a standby time of more than seven days.

The Walmart-owned firm stated that the device is designed to offer improved audio clarity, even in noisy settings, and has a compact design suitable for crowded retail environments.

Yuvraj Singh Shekhawat, Chief Business Officer for PhonePe’s Merchant Business, stated that local manufacturing of the SmartSpeaker allows the company to better tailor its products to merchant requirements and contributes to the broader digital ecosystem.

The SmartSpeaker is part of PhonePe’s efforts to expand its footprint in the offline merchant space, especially in semi-urban and rural areas where digital payment adoption continues to rise.

Last month, the Fintech firm transitioned from being a private firm to a public company ahead of its initial public offering (IPO), which is a necessary legal step for companies that are looking to list on Indian stock markets. The digital payments platform which is owned by Walmart had said previously that it was going to start preparatory steps for a potential IPO. Additionally, the company has also redomiciled or changed its domicile from Singapore to India in December 2022.