Many people in Africa especially Kenya don’t have internet connected devices, that’s why Google introduced low-priced smartphones in six African countries. A phone made by Infinix called Hot 2 was announced on Tuesday and will be available in Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Morocco. The phone goes for around Sh8,800.
Infinix worked with Google on the Hot 2 as part of a program called Android One that was first introduced in India last year. Android One represents Google’s push to lower the prices of smartphones in less developed parts of the world where computers are too expensive and considered luxurious.
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Google is currently working with a number of tech companies to make cheap phones that can run its latest Android software. Infinix’s phone will be sold with an Android called “Lollipop.” It will be capable of running the next upgrade of Android, called “Marshmallow,” that will be released soon. The price for the Hot 2 is quite cheap as compared to other smartphones installed with Android’s newest software. For instance, prices for Samsung Electronics newest Android phones to be released this month will cost from about Sh70,000 to more than Sh80,000. This is a great accomplishment done by Google that will improve connectivity in remote areas and increase the number of low-end smartphone sales in Africa. Reports IndiaToday.
The Infinix Hot 2 comes with a quad-core MediaTek processor, dual SIM slots, front and rear-facing cameras, an FM radio tuner, and 16GB internal memory for movies and music, according to Google. Its standard version, with 1GB memory, is available in four colors and the premium version (with 2GB memory) is available in gold, Google said.
People consider buying feature phones that enables them to use fewer features like the phone book and message. Apps like Google search, Facebook and WhatsApp are considered less useful since the sole purpose of a phone is communication. Google’s phones are ideal for low-end customers who are unable to buy expensive smartphones because they allow basic internet connections.
This is a smart move done by the tech companies because it will be able to get more audience and eventually sell more digital advertisements. As part of that effort, Google built a fiber-optic network to provide faster Internet access in Kampala.
“The software on Android One devices automatically updates to the latest version of Android and will get the Android M release after release. The goal is to provide a consistent and uncompromising smartphone experience, for everyone,” Google VP of product management, Caesar Sengupta, said.
Also read: Infinix sets out to grow presence in the Kenyan market as it launches the “flagship killer” device
