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$80 Android Phone Sells Like Hotcakes In Kenya

Posted by Soulskill on from the not-quite-as-tasty dept.

kkleiner writes "Earlier this year, the Chinese firm Huawei unveiled IDEOS through Kenya's telecom titan, Safaricom. So far, this $80 smartphone has found its way into the hands of 350,000+ Kenyans, an impressive sales number in a country where 40% of the population lives on less than two dollars a day. The smartphone is the exemplar of a truly liberating device, and thanks to Android and Huawei, it has the potential to reach virtually untapped markets."

9 of 205 comments (clear)

  1. Ugali phone! by pecosdave · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring
    Ugali phone!
    Ring Dong Ring Dong Ring Dong Ding
    Not ba-ad phone!

    It comes in one's es
    from skipping lunches

    --
    The preceding post was not a Slashvertisement.
  2. It's not a bad phone by stoolpigeon · · Score: 5, Interesting

    We've been using them in Nairobi for a mobile learning project. The students get one of the Ideos phone with a micro SD card loaded with the videos, reading material and tests for the class.

    I liked them enough that I bought one for my wife. Newegg sells them in the US for $140. She needed a new phone before we moved to Europe and it's been great. The screen is not too big, the camera is pretty crappy and it doesn't have the horsepower of a phone like my Galaxy S, but it does really well with calls and has better connectivity than my phone. We are on the same carrier and half the time when I can't get data, she can.

    --
    It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
    1. Re:It's not a bad phone by ozmanjusri · · Score: 4, Informative
      The original 8150 Ideos sold at AU$199 here in Australia.

      They've revamped it as the Ideos X1 and are selling it at AU$99 now (the specs are identical).

      • 2.8 QVGA (240 x 320) Capacitive Display
      • Android 2.2
      • 528MHz Qualcomm CPU
      • 3.2MP Camera
      • Expandable MicroSD Slot
      • 900/2100MHz 3G
      • Wi-Fi b/g, Bluetooth 2.1
      • 90grams

      I bought one of the original 8150s, and have been very happy with it. As long as you keep an eye on the number of running apps, it's responsive enough and does as much as any other Froyo phone.

      --
      "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
    2. Re:It's not a bad phone by ozmanjusri · · Score: 4, Funny

      With its low-end hardware, this thing barely qualifies as a smartphone.

      Strange. You speak so confidently, and yet with such complete ignorance.

      I actually have one of these phones. Based on available evidence, not only is it most certainly a smartphone, it's also considerably smarter than you.

      --
      "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
    3. Re:It's not a bad phone by Sun · · Score: 4, Informative

      My company does localization of Android phones for local distributors. Currently on my desk are a Nexus One, Nexus S, two Ideos phones, an Ideos X5 and an Ideos X3. This does not include non-active phones I have at home. Of this set, by far, the lowest speced and weakest phone is the Ideos, of which I have two, because it is an active project. Because it is an active project, my SIM card is in one of the IDEOS phones, and it has been my main phone for several months now.

      I can tell you, without a shadow of a doubt, that while the phone IS, in fact, slower than the rest of them, and its screen IS quite inferior, it is definitely a useable (and useful) smart phone. Your criticism is simply without merit.

      Shachar

  3. Re:Google account required? by stoolpigeon · · Score: 4, Informative

    People in Kenya aren't just getting started with mobile telephony. Getting smart phones may be a little newer for many but many, many people have been using cell phones for a while. A password is not a big issue. In fact they are already used to being more secure with their phones as many people have been using services like M-PESA to pay bills and store funds. In a number of ways the typical Kenyan is more mobile phone savvy than the average American.

    --
    It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
  4. Re:Yes it is by damienl451 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hey, I can point it on the map just fine! It's where Obama was born, right?

  5. Ignorant bastards by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    I am Kenyan and am actually updating this using a Netbook tethered to an IDEOS.
    Most of the people commenting here are apparently very ignorant.
    1) Most people are not as poor as Western media always make us to be. They only show poor people in sad situation but obviously as a growing country there is a growing Middle income who are the target of cheaper affordable smartphone.
    2) $2 is quite a sum(actually = Ksh 200). The living cost are not as high as in US or Europe so stop making comparisons using your worldview as a yardstick.
    3) IDEOS is brilliant idea.

    BTW the iphone cost Ksh 100,000 ($1000), Galaxy S ksh 36000 ($370)
    These phone are only available to the rich.

  6. Nice Picture by scdeimos · · Score: 5, Informative

    I wish the media would stop (badly) Photoshopping images. The headline image of the girl holding an IDEOS originally had her holding a snowpea pod: http://img.wylio.com/flickr/130022/380/5367321226