Orange, France’s largest telecommunication company has partnered with Google to launch a cheap $30 4G smartphone in Africa this October called Sanza Touch.
Orange believes that over 520 million people in Africans don’t have access to the internet covered by mobile broadband, simply because smartphones and mobile services are too expensive to buy.
This is not the first attempt at low budget locally-made smartphones in Africa. However, Sanza appears to be one of the cheapest. This was what BeepTool is supposed to give us but forces of nature beyond their powers shattered their plans.
The focus at the moment is on Africa and the Middle East because it wants to bring these regions up to the level of Internet penetration experienced across the world said Google.
The Sanza Touch is a 4G Android phone and it features a 4-inch’ screen, 8GB memory, and a 1750mAh battery, offering over 4 hours battery life while streaming videos. When launched, they will serve as an affordable alternative for high-end smartphones with 4G Internet spectrum.
When launched, each phone will come with airtime for calls, SMS, and data bundle. It can also be paid for in installments as it comes with an application that supports this — Payjoy.
From October 2020, the Sanza Touch smartphone will be available with a bundled mobile data plan (voice, SMS, data) at around US$30 (₦11,505). It will be sold in most of Orange’s markets in the Middle East and Africa, starting with Guinea Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, and Madagascar.
By the way, Orange is planning to establish its presence in Nigeria and South Africa.