Huawei is to launch a low-cost Windows Phone 8 device in seven African markets this quarter as part of a partnership with Microsoft to drive up smartphone penetration on the continent. Currently in Africa, smartphones account for only about 10 percent of total phones in the market.
The Huawei ’4Afrika’ smartphone will be available in Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Angola, Morocco and South Africa “towards the later part” of Q1. It is expected to retail at around $150.
Microsoft’s 4Afrika initiative
The launch forms part of Microsoft’s recently launched wider 4Afrika initiative, which is designed to help improve Africa’s global competitiveness.
By 2016, the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative intends to help place tens of millions of smart devices in the hands of African youth and bring one million African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) online.
Microsoft Windows Phone already has a strong presence in Africa with devices from HTC, Samsung, and Nokia. Another aspect of 4Afrika is a joint Nokia and Microsoft customer training programme in Kenya and Nigeria, designed to help accelerate adoption of Nokia Lumia 510 and 620 phones.
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