Samsung will be selling its Android Go device, the Galaxy J4 Core in Kenya. Priced at KES 12,999, the J4 Core will be competing with lots of devices for Transsion, Xiaomi, and HMD in a market where offerings from the said manufacturers have their fair share of merits and tight competition for the Kenyan consumer.
The J4 Core is Samsung’s second device running the Lite version of Android (after the Galaxy J2 Core), an OS which has since been used by the likes of Tecno Spark 2 and Nokia 1. The OS is light on resources and is equipped with Go apps, most of which are Google-made, and while they work in most cases, they are stripped of some features, which can be solved by installing fully functional replacements from Google Play.
Its other specifications are nothing out of the ordinary: RAM is limited at 1 GB, coupled with 16 GB of media-hoarding room that can be expanded via microSD. It also spots an 8/5MP camera combo, a 3300 mAh juicer and an okay, 720p 6-inch screen. These specs are in line with all Android Go devices selling in the country.
Having used the Spark 2, I can report with authority that using a device with a single gig of RAM can be problematic thanks to occasional slowdowns that cannot be salvaged even by the lightness of the operating system. Also, the user experience could be better if the OS were unskinned, and additional features which are packed in the software that some find useful often contribute to an unpleasant experience in the long run.
To this end, it is worth noting that buyers can purchase other phones with more memory at nearly the same price. However, Samsung loyalists have a limited choice as the J4 Core is practically the cheapest devices from the South Korean phone manufacturer in Kenya now.
The device is available at all authorized dealers.
