FE Exclusive: Realme India’s Francis Wong on upcoming smartphones, 2026 trends, brand strategy and more

Looking ahead to the next year, smartphone buyers in the mid-range segment will place greater emphasis on a few key features, according to Francis Wong, Chief Marketing Officer at Realme India. He said a periscope telephoto camera will become essential, along with much larger batteries of 7,000mAh or more. Wong also noted that consumers are increasingly demanding meaningful AI capabilities in their devices, while the number of years of software updates offered will be a critical factor influencing purchase decisions, he told Financial Express.