THE last few years have provided an interesting scenario, in the nation’s smartphone market. Perhaps what makes it more interesting is the number of interests being shown by investors, and brands in the market, and the vast tombstones of many of such mobile phone brands, that could not survive the topsy-turvy terrain of the market.
Besides, as the market segment becomes increasingly sophisticated, a lot of concerns are being raised. One of such is the growing concern that smartphones and the existing 4G LTE are grossly under-utilised, amidst high expectations of the launch of 5G smartphones and data network in Nigeria and many other countries.
Other issues exist, too. Not a few market watchers believe smartphones and broadband are yet to reach significant part of the population, while concerns are also rife about the influx of phones, that put the health of the users, at risk, into the country.
Interestingly, one brand that has the determination to survive the turbulent terrain, written all over its face, is the highly indigenous smartphone brand, Partner Mobile, which made its debut into the nation’s mobile phone market, three years ago.
Its management says they are abreast of developments in the market, and are ready to make a difference, by enabling customers have value for their hard-earned money.
The Chief Technology Officer of Partner Mobile, Olusola Akintola at the unveiling of its latest offering, Partner Mobile’s Evolution 1 (EV1), in Lagos, recently, urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and others to do more in the area of monitoring the phones that come into the country.
He added that a lot of devices that come into the country are harmful to health because of the radiation they emit.
He stated further that a lot of the devices that are shipped to densely populated markets of Lagos and Kano are hardly seen anywhere, adding that the radiation from some of these mobile phones are cancerous making them harmful to the human body system.
However, NCC latest data recently approved 1,492 mobile phones, of different brands and models, for use in the country, having been tested, and found to have met the industry regulator’s Standards Type Approval required for them to be approved for Nigeria.
The new EV1 smartphone from the stable of Partner Mobile is one of the quality phones that have met industry standards, and it is pushing for smartphone penetration across urban and rural areas with its affordable pricing.
Similarly, its partnership with ntel, availing Nigerians 4G Long Term Evolution (4G LTE), is another strive to achieving Broadband penetration, also in line with NCC’s plan to grow the country’s broadband penetration to 70 per cent by 2021.
Interesting to note, the number of smartphone users in Nigeria is forecast to grow to more than 140 million by 2025. Currently, estimates from different sources put the number of smartphone users in Nigeria at roughly 25 and 40 million, Statista, an insight and research platform, reports on its website.
The new device, unveiled recent, the management says, is compatible with 4G LTE network, and is designed to run on ntel’s 4G LTE network and other telecoms network that are 4G LTE compliant, with ntel, offering end users 4.5 gig data upon purchase of the EV1 in its stores.
Akintola expresses confidence that the new smartphone will delight smartphone users, considering its stylish design, Al Triple camera, quality and pricing.
He added that the confidence stemmed from the in-built features of the device, which runs on Android 9 pie operating system and comes with face and fingerprint sensors.
In the same vein, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Ifeoluwa Molokwu, described the launch of EV1 into the market, as signifying the company’s unrelenting efforts to introduce to the market value-for-money products in order to satisfy its customers.
“EV1 is a reliable phone that will surely satisfy the customers who have been looking for a phone that will suit all purposes,” Molokwu stated.
She added that the new smartphone is distinctively manufactured to meet today’s smartphone market and at an affordable price, so consumers can do more of what they love with smartphone.
Interestingly, the company says its partnership with ntel, Nigeria’s telecoms provider, is in furtherance of its commitment to making quality smartphones and boosting smartphone penetration in the country, adding that one of the fall-outs of the partnership will be the provision of data bundle of more than four Gigabytes for free to buyers of the smartphone.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Babatunde Omotoba explained that his company had been working assiduously with Partner Mobile for sometimes to introduce a budget- friendly smartphone targeted at the consumer market.
“To demonstrate our commitment to this partnership in driving internet penetration in the country which is in line with the National Broadband Plan, ntel will be offering end users 4.5 gig data upon purchase of the EV1 in our stores,” he stated.
Hinting on the company’s future, Ifeoluwa Molokwu says the company remains resolute in its innovation drive; since that is the own way it can make the much-needed difference in the highly-competitive market.