Let us just agree that Tecno and Infinix Mobile are some of the most popular mobile phones in Kenya right now and even Africa. Tecno Mobile has over the last ten years acquired over 25 percent market share in Kenya and other African markets including Nigeria, Tanzania, Egypt and even Cameroon. Infinix, on the other hand, also has a good presence in the continent and has continued to the most dominant brand especially in Kenya.
Both Infinix and Tecno entered the Kenyan market to provide affordable Smartphone to compete with popular brands such as Samsung LG and HTC in the high-end market. Since 2015, for example, Tecno embarked on providing mid-range devices that would effectively serve the Kenyan market. Infinix joined the Kenyan in a bid to provide high-quality phones for the low-end market.
Infinix redefined the meaning of low and mid budget smartphones after it first launched in Kenya with Infinix Hot Note and the Infinix Hotx507, launched at Ksh 8,500 and Ksh 10,000 respectively.
2017 has brought with it a surprising turn-around of events. According to data from Data Fintech, in the first quarter of 2017, Tecno was the most popular brand among Kenyan consumers, taking the number one spot in January and February. The data, however, shows that Tecno’s consumer demand score dropped by 50% in March 2017 as compared to the first two months of the year.
The consumer demand score (or DF Score) tracks the popularity of electronic brands on the marketplace, based on visitor’s actions. After the launch of the Camon CX in April 2017, market data showed consumer demand for Tecno phones went up, growing the brand score by 80% in May 2017. This was however short lived, as of June 2017, Tecno’s consumer demand dropped to its lower level in 2017. Evidently, in the game of phones, only one brand took the throne and that’s Infinix.
Read>>Kenyans bought more Infinix smartphones than HTC between February 2016 and February 2017
The data from Data Fintech shows that Infinix has monopolized the first position in mobile phone brand popularity by topping 100% of Q2-2017 and a total of 66.7% of the entire H1-2017. On the mobile phone dealers front, the total stock value of Infinix phones listed in June 2017 is at Ksh 3.3m representing 5.1% of the total mobile phone listings. Tecno Ksh 3.5m is accounting for 5.4%.
Both brands, however, accounted for 30% of the stock value in the Ksh. 10k – 20k price segment in April 2017. The wallet share of the two brands in this segment was higher than in the total stock value since both brands focus on the lower price segment.
In June 2017, Infinix mobile phone dealers were 34 which was a 78.9% increase compared to dealers who listed the brand in December 2016. Tecno mobile phone dealers were 29 in June 2017, a 262.5% increase compared to dealers who listed the brand in December 2016.
Bottom line. both Tecno and Infinix have comfortably positioned themselves as a force to be reckoned with. This is not just in terms of brand penetration and market dominance in Africa but also in terms of their phone’s advanced features and also some of the most innovative designs in the mobile phone industry.
Read>>Battle For Superiority: TECNO Camon CX vs The Oppo F3
