Nokia is targeting the continuous release of smartphones with unique and functional Android features in a bid to take a bigger bite of the smartphones market, HMD Global, the Nokia brand owner, has said.
HMD Global’s Head of Product and Operations for Sub Sahara Africa, Patrick Henchie, said although competition in the smartphones market is characterised by many manufacturers attempting to provide a unique flavour of the Android experience, Nokia is only committed to making the experience pure, secure and up-to-date.
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“Where we are differentiated in the market is essentially giving Android users the way Google intends it to be used…to be clean and clutter-free as possible and ensuring that consumers get the latest technical advances in terms of battery savings; and in terms of the operating system being as smooth and quick as possible,†said Patrick.
Patrick made the revelation when himself and Justin Maier, Vice President Sub Sahara Africa of HMD Global spoke with Ghanaian media on Monday.
“We are also committed to doing monthly security updates,†Patrick said about Nokia’s smartphones experience.
Nokia’s growth over the last couple of years has been touted by many market research companies as phenomenal. According to Counterpoint, Nokia is among the fastest growing brands in Q1 2018 globally.
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Also, Strategy Analytics’ report on the state of the smartphone market in Q1 2018 suggests that Nokia smartphones are back among the top ten smartphone brands on the planet. HMD Global grabbed 1.2% of the smartphone market in Q1 2018, compared to 0.9% in Q4 2017, according to Strategy Analytics.
Justin Maier, Vice President of Sub Sahara Africa of HMD Global, revealed that Nokia is gradually climbing up in market share, shipping some 17 million phones across the world last year.
“We know we are still a very small company and we need to grow our company and our revenues and market share and I think we’ve really done well with that journey,†he said.
He said what sets Nokia apart is its ability to meet the demands of all the categories of smartphone users.
“What sets us apart is that we are not just a high-end brand. We have devices that cut across aboard: smartphones and feature phones. As a brand, we continue our dominance in feature phones for consumers who still desire and want a feature phone. We want to bring innovation into our feature phones as well,†said Justin.
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HMD Global has also expanded its smartphone portfolio with series of launches, including the Nokia 1, Nokia 6, Nokia 7 Plus, and Nokia 8 Sirocco, during the 2018 MWC Barcelona event.
Patrick revealed that the multi-functional Nokia 2.1 smartphone is specially made for Africa, with long battery life, loudspeakers and robust features.
Overall, initial sales channels developed for selling feature phones has provided Nokia with a solid foundation for smartphone sales, according to market watchers.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
