Jovi- does the name sound familiar to you? This is because Jovi is an AI voice assistant in Vivo smartphones. But what if we tell you that soon you may hear Jovi as a new smartphone brand?

This new update is revealed exclusively by folks at Smartprix who in their recent report mentioned that three Jovi phones have been spotted on the GSMA database.

Jovi Y39 5G with model number V2444, Jovi V50 Lite 5G with model number V2440, and Jovi V50 with model number V2427. Model numbers also seem familiar right, this is because Jovi V50 carries a model number similar to the Vivo V50 while Jovi V50 Lite 5G shares a model number with Vivo V50 Lite 5G. This somewhere hints that these Jovi devices could be the rebranded versions of Vivo smartphones.

Apart from this Jovi Y39 5G also has a Chinese variant with Vivo branded model number V2444A that is spotted on the database.

The appearance of these three new devices online has sparked rumors that BBK Electronics, a Chinese company that is known for its smartphone brands like Vivo, iQOO, Oppo, Realme, and OnePlus may now launch a new brand under the name Jovi whereas the similar model numbers hints that Jovi could be the sub-brand of Vivo.

Just like how Xiaomi now has sub-brands Redmi and POCO which allowed the company to cater to different segments of the market, BBK seems to follow a similar strategy. For now, the leaked models indicate that Jovi may launch budget-friendly smartphones. Though the question arises if the model numbers indicate that Jovi devices are rebranded versions of Vivo smartphones, then what’s the point of launching a new brand if it has nothing special to offer?

Readers are advised to take the above information with a pinch of salt as till now BBK has not made any official announcement. On one hand where it can be said that the appearance of the devices online could be the first step there have been instances where companies have registered names and model numbers but later did not launch the device.

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The GSMA, which hosts the world’s largest trade show, Mobile World Congress, has announced that some Russian companies will be barred from attending the event. In light of the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, the GSMA has limited Russian companies’ participation to some extent. The Mobile World Congress will be held in Barcelona from February 28 to March 3, 2022. MWC is expected to attract over 1500 exhibitors this year, including AWS, Lenovo, Samsung, Realme, Intel, and others. MWC has been plagued by exhibitor cancellations due to the ongoing Covid pandemic, but this year’s event will feature more tech companies than in 2020 and 2021.

There are no plans to cancel or delay MWC 2022 itself, the organization said on its website. The measures allow mobile devices to be sent to Russia, but only as long as they aren’t sent to Russian government employees.

Russian companies, such as the carrier VimpelCom, can buy dedicated show floor space, as with some trade shows, to give them a presence. The main ban will primarily affect companies relying on the Russian Pavilion for a presence.

The bans come at a time when technology is increasingly becoming a battleground for Russia and its Western adversaries. Meta’s Facebook and Twitter have taken steps to protect Ukrainians and those tracking Russian military movements, respectively. In retaliation for actions restricting four Russian media outlets, Russia has limited access to Facebook. Whether it wants to or not, the GSMA is getting involved in politics that will have an impact on the mobile world as a whole.

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