The Chinese smartphone space has been around for a while. Manufacturers from the Asian state have been doing a good job in pushing the limits of the smartphone place using an approach that we have all come to associate with products that are made in the most populous country in the world: undercutting the competition with matching, sometime superior releases at a lower price.
The formula has worked, and people in the target markets are realizing that they do not need to spend a lot of money to purchase known or popular brands when they can get the same experience from cheaper rivals.
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BBK Electronics has been in the technology space for a while too: the company was launched back in the day as a DVD/Blue Ray Player manufacturer. It has since spun its business to smartphones, many of which are quite popular here: you know, the OPPO, vivo (launched in Kenya recently too), OnePlus (that targets other markets besides Africa) and iQOO (game-focused for customers in China and India).
It is a big brand that has devices targeting different markets and user need.
Of the group, OPPO is the oldest member to ever come to Kenya. And that is not all: realme, another sub-brand by the same company, is coming here.
The majority of realme devices target customers who want some of the very best specs and features on a device, but as a lower cost. This is an interesting approach because there are tens of other phone makers doing the same thing in Kenya.
However, we feel that realme will bring its entry-level phones here because the Kenyan market does not demonstrate a strong purchasing power. This habit has been exploited by manufacturers who understand it, which is why the majority of phones that are grabbed from shop shelves are budget.
To this end, realme Kenya launch is accompanied by the realme C3, a budget device that costs KES 14000. The price is sensitive, and we can name up to 10 devices that sell for the same amount.
Here are some of its specs:
Camera: Triple (unspecified for the moment)
Battery: 5000 mAh
OS: Android 10, realme UI 1.0
CPU: MTK Helio G70
Screen: 6.5”, HD+ with tear-drop cut-out
How realme plans to make a name for itself in this space is something we will have to wait and see. Still, it gives us a good feeling because the competition is always good because it gives customers a lot of options.
According to realme, ‘realme’s launch in Kenya targets publics who embody the brand slogan “dare to leap”, which is inspired by the young generation who are regarded as being more open-minded, confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat, and receptive to new ideas and ways of living.’
What they said
realme always believes that by providing exquisitely designed products and reliable performance, we can provide diverse consumer groups especially youth with better user experience, realme focuses on developing its products and design continuously and will unveil more distinctive products and technologies in 2020 because our customers deserve to have products that are compatible with their expectation.
General Manager of realme Middle East and Africa Operations Josef Wang
