TECH/COLUMN: Handset brands that Tanzanians prefer

What you need to know:

COMMUNICATION. An online global statistics tracker has revealed five most selling telephone brands in Tanzania until September 2018, with Tecno topping the list

Dar es Salaam. The use of mobile phones has gone beyond calling and texting amid technological advancement.

Mobile phones have many uses. They include banking, internet surfing and record keeping.

Since the devices have almost similar functions; cost, durability, perceptions are some of the factors determining the performance of mobile phone brands in Tanzania.

An online global statistics tracker has revealed five most selling telephone brands in Tanzania until September 2018, with Tecno topping the list.

StatCounter, a global web analytics service that tracks the usage share of search engines, browsers and operating systems including mobile phones, states that Tecno holds 31.53 per cent of the market share.

“This is to say, in every 10 customers buying telephones in a mobile shop, at least three of them opt to buy the Tecno brand,” the report reads.

The Samsung brand follows, with 17.55 per cent of the market share while Nokia is No. 3 with 5.8 per cent.

The Huawei brand is fourth, with 5.07 per cent while Apple holds 4.37 per cent of the market share.

Other brands were grouped into one and described as ‘Unknown brands’ which hold 22.44 per cent of the market share.

In comparison to the past nine months (in December 2017), the market share growth rate for the five telephone brands rose, eating much from the ‘unknown brand’ segment.

‘Unknown telephone brands’ lost at least 32.04 per cent of their selling power to 22.44 per cent in September 2018, down from 54.48 per cent in December 2017. The shares were taken by Tecno and other popular brands.

Tecno grew from 23.66 per cent in December 2017 to 31.53 in September 2018 while Samsung’s market share increased from 14.52 per cent to 17.55 per cent.

Apple grew from 1.69 per cent of selling power to 4.37 per cent during the period.

Before 2016, Tecno was in a category of ‘Unknown brands’.

However, in December 2016, it was reported that Samsung was the most selling brand, holding 13.98 per cent, with Tecno holding the third place with 9.2 per cent while Huawei held 8.66 per cent of the market.

Users of Tecno told The Citizen that, the mobile devices were relatively cheap.

“Samsung devices have solid qualities but they are too expensive. I used to own a Samsung mobile phone before this Tecno, but when a glass was damaged I had to spend another Sh340, 000 just to fix it,” said Ms Mariam Nyaki, a resident of Kimara Mwisho in Dar es Salaam.

She switched to buying a new Tecno mobile phone at Sh250,000, instead of fixing the broken one.

According to her, poverty makes Tanzanians like cheap products even if their qualities are not that good.

The management of Tecno Tanzania said its specialisation of products regarding to economic status and culture of particular places had been the brand’s strength.

“We normally conduct studies before introducing our products in the markets. For Tanzania, we established that the majority were either poor or middle-income ones. So, we brought cheap ones,” Tecno Tanzania’s communications head Erick Mkomoye told The Citizen.

According to him, Tecno also decided to manufacture mobile phones with strong batteries, knowing that electricity is a challenge in the country.

“Tanzanians like to buy our products not just because they are cheap, but they got almost similar applications which expensive brands have.”

His view reveals that most people do not spend large amounts of money to buy phones with quality pictures, strong batteries or other applications while the cheap ones also contain the same.

However, some believe that having a phone today is no longer a story but ‘what kind of phone?’

Ms Zuhura Mwembezi, a dealer in mobile phones, says she mainly sells iPhone and Samsung.

“Most customers ask for iPhones, Samsung, Infinix brands and a few Tecno. I am not very sure but I’m positive that they feel happier to buy iPhones than other brands.”

According to her, people care about the brand, and iPhone is their most preferred product.

Kinondoni resident Peter Jonathan, who is a banker, feels happy and confident when owning iPhone over other brands.

For him, a mobile phone is more than calling and sending short messages, but a device that a camera, computer, TV and radio.

“I need privacy and security. iPhone provides them for me and that is why I like it the most.”

Samsung is Peter’s second choice while Tecno is the fourth choice after Nokia.