Competition for a share of Kenya’s smartphone market has moved a notch higher. This follows entry of the low-cost Kaduda 4G smart devices into the market.
Manufactured by ZTE-a Chinese firm, the Android-powered phone series will be sold at all Telkom shops beginning 9th September 2020.
The first of three devices is the T-Smart, retailing at KSh 3,100, pre-loaded with applications such as Google Assistant Voice Control, Google Maps, Youtube, Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter.
It comes with an adaptor, a USB cable, a pair of earphones, a warranty card and an instruction manual alongside the device.
These Kaduda 4G phones are an upgrade to the smart feature devices in the Kaduda series that made its debut in Kenya more than four years ago. Consumers already have exposure to the Kaduda 1, the Kaduda Selfie and the Kaduda Smart.
The T-Smart runs on KaiOS Technology (KaiOS is part-owned by Google) that supports smartphone applications like Facebook, WhatsApp and Youtube, enabling users to access the internet via Wi-Fi and 3G/4G/LTE.
“A rise in demand for more smart devices has been occasioned by the accelerated digital transformation that is being witnessed across the globe, and which has made more people and businesses increasingly adopt the use of automated and digitised platforms,” said Steve Okeyo, Telkom’s Managing Director for Consumer.
With more people working or entertaining from home, demand for broadband, connectivity and digital platforms by individual consumers, corporates and the state, has been on the rise worldwide.
Mobile phone service providers have been falling over each other with different bundle offers to enable subscribers browse the internet.
A number of mobile companies are also offering free or competitively priced data to enable subscribers access such platforms as WhatsApp and Facebook, and free minutes within their networks.
The T-Smart will be available in all Telkom shops, countrywide.
“Entry-level smart-feature devices constitute about 40% of phones sold in Kenya, affirming their acceptance and popularity; due to longer-lasting batteries and the ability to pick signal faster in areas that are underserved with regard to connectivity,” said Okeyo.
According to Global Mobile Economy, mobile phones continue to make a significant contribution to the global economy.
In 2019, mobile technologies and services generated US$4.1 trillion of economic value added (4.7% of GDP) globally.
The latest 5G technologies are expected to contribute US$2.2 trillion to the global economy between 2024 and 2034.
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