Intex Aqua Y2 Remote Smartphone can act as your TV or AC remote, sells for INR 4,390 ($70)

So we know that Infrared technology made a comeback to the mobile market in 2013 after a gap of almost 5 years. Ironically enough, the once oh-so-common technology is now limited to high-end flagship phones.

Keeping this in mind, Indian smartphone vendor Intex has recently launched the Aqua Y2 Remote Smartphone. Priced at INR 4,390, the budget smartphone is pretty common at the first look with your run of the mill, budget smartphone specs — a 4-inch display, 1500 mAh battery, 512MB of RAM paired with 4GB of internal storage running on a 1.2GHz dual-core MediaTek MT6572 processor, 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front shooter are basically all that the spec-sheet includes — but it’s the latter part of the name that got us really interested.

Intex’s new device — which will be available in three colors Grey, White & Black — comes with a built in IR system and runs the Za-Za remote app out of the box. What this means is that syncing your device will allow you to control all compatible devices such as TV, Set-top box, AC, Speakers, etc with your Aqua Y2, basically turning it into a universal remote of sorts.

As Sanjay Kumar Karilona, Business Head at Intex Technologies summed it up “The new Aqua Y2 Remote is a most reasonable smartphone with a soothing display to suit the user requirement. As the name suggests, the smartphone turns into a remote once synced with the products”.