The Realme DIZO sub-brand may be discontinued

In May 2021, Chinese smartphone brand Realme launched a new sub-brand called DIZO. Abhilash Panda has been appointed as the CEO of DIZO and of course the influencer hype helped the brand take off in India.

Devices such as Bluetooth neckbands, TWS headphones, smart watches, feature phones, hair dryers, trimmers and more have been launched under the DIZO brand. In just two years, DIZO has launched 13 Bluetooth audio products, 17 smart watches, 2 feature phones, 3 hair clippers and 1 hair dryer. This is actually a huge range of products for a new brand, especially after the world has just emerged from the pandemic. But these launches have been touted as huge successes for the brand.

Last year, DIZO celebrated its anniversary. Abhilash Panda has given interviews claiming how successful the brand is in India. They even cited Counterpoint Technology Market Research reports that it is among the “Top 5 Smartwatch Brands in India” with a “4.4% market share”.

But this year, DIZO is not celebrating its “second anniversary”. Why? Well, Abhilash Panda has stepped down and it looks like Realme has quietly washed its hands of the DIZO brand.

When Abhilash Banda celebrated last year, he made a subtle point that many overlooked. He calmly stated that DIZO was not a sub-brand of Realme.

In an interview with The Telegraph in June 2022, he said: “Dizo is already part of Realme, and more specifically, we are the first brand to be part of Realme’s TechLife ecosystem. However, we are not a sub-brand of Realme.”

After the recent resignation of Abhilash Panda, rumors have surfaced suggesting the possible closure of Dizo just two years after its launch. In fact, DIZO’s media communications team recently left.

The last 2 years has been a great learning experience. Over to some time off and opening of the next chapter! pic.twitter.com/B9SJcs0LcK— Abhilash Panda (@panda_abhilash) May 27, 2023

Panda’s departure has fueled speculation about the brand’s future, with many wondering how long Dizo will be on the market. No official statements or announcements have yet been made regarding the closure of the DIZO brand. We have reached out to Realme’s media relations teams regarding the same and are awaiting their responses.

Since February 2023, the brand has been silent with no updates or announcements. The latest addition to their lineup was the Dizo Watch D2, which was launched in February 2023.

What happens to people who buy DIZO products? What about software updates or after-sales support?

Interestingly, in April 2023, Realme announced a rebranding of its Techlife brand, placing all its products under the current Narzo sub-brand. The company directed fans of Techlife products to follow Narzo’s social handles in the future. In addition, the company has also asked fans to follow Realme’s official handles for AIoT product updates, which means AIoT products will not be released under the Narzo brand.

Realme’s recent announcement confused many. So far, Realme has built a Techlife ecosystem with three core parts: industrial design, supply chain and AIoT. These components integrate seamlessly with the Realme Link app. However, Realme has not given any clarification on the future of Dizo brand AIoT devices.

Should people also trust Realme’s Narzo brand after seeing the fate of DIZO?

Meanwhile, after Panda’s discontinuation, people are looking for answers from the brand. One Twitter user wrote on the latest development: “What about the people who bought a Dizo product but have no service? This is an easy way to go out and say all the good things about a company that cheats, cheats, makes money and runs away. Mind #dizo on also @realmeIndia. MUST help Realme…”

As customers wait for clarity and support, it remains to be seen how Realme and Dizo will respond to these calls for help.