Xiaomi Smartphones Finally In Nigeria. A Threat To Tecno?

Xiaomi, the most popular mobile manufacturing company in China and arguably the world's 4th Mobile manufacturing company has extended its market share to Africa. The Chinese mobile giant has launched two of its brands the Redmi 2 and Mi 4  in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, through its business partner, the MIA Group. The Devices are now available through their online sales partner Jumia. 

Specifications and Price of Xiaomi Mi 4

5-inch with 16 million colors
2.5Ghz Quadcore Snapdragon 801
3GB RAM
13MP Sony high speed rear camera
3,080 mAh battery
₦ 56,000

Specifications and Price of Xiaomi Redmi 2

4.7-inch with 16 million colors
4G connectivity
1.2GHz Quadcore Snapdragon 410
3GB RAM
8MP HD autofocus BSI rear camera
2,200 mAh battery
₦ 29,000

Xiaomi is often referred to as the Apple of China due to its innovation and is known to produce high-quality devices at a remarkably amazing price. Xiaomi launched its first Smartphone in 2011 and within a short time, it has gained market share in the Mainland China. Since then, it has expanded its market share to other Asian countries and the world at large. Currently ranked the 4th largest smartphone maker in the world after Samsung which is 1st, Apple (2nd) and Huawei (3rd)

It is a well-known fact that Tecno is currently the most popular Chinese brand in Nigeria. Over the years, Tecno has proved to be a reliable brand. With the released of its high-end devices at  a relatively lower price, Tecno has attracted to itself a cult of followers and it does not seem as if it is  losing its grip in the Nigeria mobile market. It is important to note that Tecno is not the only Chinese brand in Nigeria. There are quite a number of them that are still struggling in the market, brands like Gionee, Lenovo, Huawei etc.

Now the question to ask is, does Xiaomi's coming to Nigeria a threat in any way to Tecno?
The short answer is: It depends on several factors.
The long answer: The introduction of Xiaomi devices into the Nigeria market will create a serious competition not only with Tecno but all other smartphone makers. This will now call for serious innovation from the OEMs. Any OEM that is not innovative will find it difficult to survive. I see this as an opportunity for Tecno to improve on their devices. Though they have proved to be a force to reckon with, there is a need for them to improve in their devices. If my memory serves me right, Tecno is yet to produce a device that is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon. Almost all their devices use MTK processor with the exception of their Windows tablet.

Another thing to note is OTA upgrade. There has been constant calling by the Nigeria Smartphone users for Tecno to include an Over-The-Air (OTA) upgrade to their devices, but up till now, it seems Tecno have not taken that too serious, if care is not taken, it may turn to haunt them. Mobile Technology is fast growing, new updates are coming regularly, nobody will want to be stuck with a phone that cannot be updated.

Should Tecno be worried?
I doubt. Why? Because Tecno has gained ground already and are continuously improving on their  devices. With their new Camon C8, you don't need to be told that Tecno has remarkably improved over the years and from all indication, it will only get better with time. I am convinced personally that upcoming Tecno devices will support OTA upgrade. The onus is now on Xiaomi to prove to us that they are a better choice than the rest. for now, we will keep our fingers crossed while we watch as things unfold.

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