Late last year, a favourably priced and unknown smartphone was released into the Kenyan smartphone exclusively through online retailer Jumia. That device, the Infinix Hot Note, is no longer unknown. Going by the number of times it “sold out” on Jumia and the many people you’re bound to bump into using it, it had its moment. It is not hard to see why. It had the best battery life on budget smartphone thanks to its beefy battery and its large 5.5-inch HD display was definitely a draw for the masses who desired something decent to consume content on without breaking the bank. That was last year, and most of this year. What next?
That’s where the second generation Infinix Note comes in. Set to be introduced into the Kenyan market on Tuesday December 8th via online retailer Jumia and become available in shops countrywide thereafter in time for the festive season, the next generation Infinix Note is expected to not only address any going concerns from last year’s model but also introduce some new features.
The new features include a new user interface dubbed XUI, Infinix’s own custom Android skin, to provide some differentiation and may be some add-ons. It’s supposed to stick close to stock Android while at it. The screen size, for instance, is set to be bumped up while the resolution will remain the same, at 720p (HD). Several media campaigns running in West Africa under the “Big 6” banner have for a long time hinted at the device having a 6-inch display and nothing less is to be expected. Even better battery life is expected since you don’t expect anything less with a 4,040mAh battery unit.
The new Infinix Note will crown a year that has seen Infinix become the first mobile phone brand to launch an Android One smartphone not just in Kenya but also in the whole of Africa with the Hot 2 and also make inroads with other budget devices like the Zero 2. Its promise to release a 4G smartphone this year is yet to materialize and with 2015 entering the homestretch, that may be a new year resolution for the budget-focused smartphone brand.
