For Realme, the most important message in Indonesia’s entry-level phone market is no longer about chasing the longest spec sheet. The company says buyers in this segment now care more about whether a device can survive daily use.
That shift is reshaping how Realme designs and promotes its affordable phones. PR Lead Realme Indonesia, Krisva Angnieszca, said the company’s internal research on entry-level smartphone users in Indonesia points to durability as the main priority, rather than impressive numbers on paper.
Durability becomes the main selling point
Realme sees this change as a sign that entry-level consumers are becoming more practical. The company wants to highlight features that matter in everyday use, not just those that look strong in marketing materials.
Battery life is one of the clearest examples. Realme says a large battery has become an important part of a phone’s durability, especially in the affordable segment where devices are used intensively throughout the day.
The company also links this behavior to daily routines that are increasingly demanding. Students and blue-collar workers are among the user groups it sees as relying heavily on their phones from morning until night.
How Realme applied the shift to C100 Series
That reading of the market helped shape the launch of Realme C100 Series in Indonesia. The entry-level phone is equipped with an 8,000 mAh battery, which Realme claims is the largest capacity in its class.
At the launch event at Atma Jaya Catholic University in South Jakarta, Realme placed the battery feature at the center of its presentation. The company also highlighted the device body, which it says is resistant to drops.
The choice reflects a different strategy in the low-cost segment. Instead of leaning first on chipset figures or camera specifications, Realme is putting durability at the front of the pitch.
Krisva said the company does not want to emphasize features that merely look good on paper. Realme is focusing on what users actually use most in daily life.
Other features remain, but they are not the headline
Durability may be the main message, but Realme says the device still includes other features. Artificial intelligence is one of them, and it is also present in the Realme C100 Series.
Even so, AI is not being used as the main selling point for this model. Krisva said several AI features in the device were derived from the Realme Number Series, but they are not positioned as the primary highlight.
The same approach applies to the chipset and camera. Realme still includes both components, but it does not place them at the center of its communication for the entry-level market it is targeting.
Business impact and market pressure
Realme says this more user-focused approach has had a positive effect on its business in Indonesia. Krisva claimed the company’s market share has increased over the past year, even as the phone market and component industry face difficult conditions.
She also pointed to generally weaker purchasing power. Despite that pressure, Realme says it has still managed to post market share growth because its products match user needs more closely.
No detailed figures were provided for the increase. The claim also comes at a time when Realme’s position in public global research reports is not among the most prominent.
In IDC and Counterpoint Research global smartphone market reports for the first quarter of 2026, Realme did not enter the world’s top five best-selling phone brands. It was grouped under “other brands” alongside several vendors outside the top five.
Those reports also showed the broader “other brands” category posting a shipment decline. IDC recorded a 4 percent drop, while Counterpoint Research recorded a 10 percent decline, with market share falling by a little more than 1 percent from the previous level.
Against that backdrop, Realme’s focus on durability signals where competition in cheap phones is heading. In Indonesia, a big battery and a tough body appear to matter more as buyers look for devices that can handle everyday use.
