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Tecno comes to SA
It’s a major African smartphone brand, and now it has arrived in South Africa in hopes of shaking up the market, writes ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK
This has two implications for the near future: features typical of the mid-range will soon reach the entry-level of phones costing less than R800. Features currently found in high-end flagship phones are steadily making their way to the low end.
For the average user, after using a handset like the Camon 12, it will be difficult to justify buying a phone that costs more than five times the price.
Jasper Zhan, marketing head of Transsion in South Africa, says that is precisely the intention: “As Tecno Mobile, bridging the digital divide has always been at the core of our business. We believe in delivering devices that allow our consumers to enjoy the benefits of a smartphone without compromising on quality, connectivity, access to the internet or breaking the bank. Affordability for our consumers is key for us to ensure that the African market has access to smartphones. As a mobile phone manufacturer, we have ensured that the African market enjoys affordable premium smartphones.”
So synonymous is Tecno with the Nigerian market, it is assumed by many to be a homegrown Nigerian brand. Transsion is also the company behind Boomplay, the fastest-growing music streaming service in West Africa. This emphasises its identity as a brand geared towards Africa, and positions it powerfully to serve emerging markets in general.
One-time Huawei marketing head Yudi Rambaran, now head of sales for Transsion in South Africa, says the company has sold over 124 million mobile phones globally, growing strongly since it shifted its market entirely to Africa in 2008.
“It only makes sense for South Africa as the most progressive country in Africa to also enjoy the same benefits as the rest of the continent,” he says. “We have had several requests from the South African mass market for access to our smartphones.”
Transsion’s research and development centres are located in Shanghai and Shenzhen in China, but the company also works closely with local R&D teams in Nigeria and Kenya. It has manufacturing facilities across the world, including in Ethiopia.
South Africa will discover Transsion initially through the Camon 12, Camon 12 Pro, and Camon 12 Air. Each has a slightly different emphasis, with the R2499-priced Air having a marginally bigger screen but less storage and RAM, and the Pro at R3999 offering more RAM but a single 32MP selfie-camera.
The comparably priced phones from rivals Samsung and Huawei offer considerably lower specifications. This means that, should consumers get past their loyalty or even love for specific brands, Tecno is about to make major inroads in South Africa.
Read more on the next page about Transsion’s brands.
