Foldable smartphones have long been the domain of the ultra-premium. Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip series, Motorola's Razr, and a handful of Chinese rivals have kept the form factor locked well above or just close to the Rs. 1 lakh mark, a price point that, by design, keeps it aspirational and out of reach for most Indian consumers. Even brand like Tecno, known for their budgeted devices, have launched foldables well above the Rs. 70,000 mark. AI+, the young homegrown smartphone brand led by CEO Madhav Sheth, is about to disrupt this market, with a foldable device that is priced under Rs. 30,000.
The company's upcoming Nova Flip is a clamshell foldable priced at Rs. 29,999, and it is set to go on sale on Flipkart in early May. It is a price that would have seemed implausible even a year ago for the category, and for an Indian brand, a space where foldables simply haven't existed, it marks something genuinely new.
Foldables to longer be a premium device
Sheth is clear that the Nova Flip was never conceived as merely a cheaper foldable. The intent, he says, ran deeper than that. "The intent was very clear from the beginning to remove the premium barrier from innovation," he tells us.
"Foldables have existed for a while, but they've largely been positioned as aspirational, high-cost devices. We believed that the form factor itself shouldn't be limited to a niche audience. With Nova Flip, the idea was to bring design, nostalgia, and functionality together in a way that is accessible, without diluting the experience. It's not about making a cheaper foldable, it's about making a relevant one for a much larger audience."
How did Ai+ pull it off commercially?
The obvious question is how a brand barely a year old managed to price a foldable at a point that established players, with far more resources, have never attempted. Sheth attributes it to focus and supply chain discipline.
"It comes down to clarity of priorities and efficiency in execution," he says. "We focus on what truly matters to users - which is design, camera, performance, and experience - and avoid unnecessary overheads that don't add value. At the same time, strong partnerships across the supply chain and platform-led distribution help us optimise costs and pass that value directly to the consumer. Our philosophy is simple: premium experience should not come at a premium barrier."
'Made in India' smartphone
Ai+ has consistently positioned itself as a brand built with an India-first mindset, and the Nova Flip is no exception. On manufacturing, Sheth says the company is committed to deepening its local footprint over time. "The Nova Series is aligned to our broader vision of local manufacturing and increasing localisation over time, with a clear focus on building capabilities within India. This is a journey, and we are committed to deepening it further across our product portfolio."
Who is this for?
The Nova Flip is clearly targeting a different kind of buyer than the flagship foldable consumer. Sheth describes the target audience as expressive, identity-driven, and design-conscious. "Nova Flip is designed for a new generation of users who see technology as an extension of their identity," he explains. "These are users who value design, expression, and individuality, but also expect reliability in everyday use. It appeals to those who want something different from the standard smartphone form factor - a device that stands out, feels personal, and still delivers on core performance."
What comes next
The phone is not yet listed on Flipkart, and final details around storage configurations and availability timelines are still to be confirmed closer to the sale date. "We will be sharing detailed information around storage configurations and final availability timelines closer to sale date," says Sheth, "but the focus will be on making it one of the most accessible foldables in the market. The focus is to ensure that when it goes live, the experience - from product to availability - is seamless for consumers."
For a brand that launched its first phone less than a year ago, the Nova Flip is an audacious statement. Whether it reshapes the foldable category in India remains to be seen - but at Rs. 29,999, it may well be the phone that brings the flip form factor to the mainstream for the first time.
