AYYA T1 to serve as an alternative to iPhone in Russia

Amid its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been hit by multiple sanctions, and several global companies, including Apple, have suspended operations there. So, Russia is now looking for local alternatives to products such as iPhones, and the solution has arrived in the form of a handset called AYYA T1. It is an affordable smartphone with basic features but promises to be high on security.

AYYA T1 has been built by SmartEkoSystem—a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned firm Rostec established in 2007 by President Vladimir Putin. The smartphone was recently endorsed by a Member of State Duma (Russia's lower house), Maria Butina. She wanted Russians to ditch Apple's iPhones and use AYYA T1 instead. Whether it will be a good alternative to the iPhone remains to be seen.

The AYYA T1 sports a 6.5-inch 60Hz screen, a fingerprint reader, a mechanical switch that can disable the camera and microphone, and an LED light that is activated when the camera is turned on. The smartphone has an edge-to-edge display with a punch-hole cut-out and a prominent bottom bezel. On the rear, there is a dual-camera setup.

As far as the cameras are concerned, the AYYA T1 sports a dual rear camera setup, comprising a 12MP primary sensor and a 5MP secondary lens. On the front, there is a 13MP snapper for taking selfies and video calling. The smartphone packs a 4,000mAh battery with fast-charging support.

Under the hood, the AYYA T1 is powered by a MediaTek Helio P70 processor, coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The smartphone runs on Android 11 for now, Butina said, but will soon switch to Russian-made Aurora OS out of the box. To ensure connectivity, the smartphone should support NFC and Wi-Fi, among other features.

For pricing and availability in Russia, the AYYA T1 smartphone sports a price figure of around RUB 15,000 (around Rs. 10,000). It is offered in black and green shades. The budget-friendly handset is currently up for grabs in Russia but there is no information available on whether it will be introduced in other countries.