Internet-hungry Africans are increasingly seeking smartphones
SMARTPHONES are invading Africa, making up more than half of all phone shipments to the continent in 2016.According to Deloitte’s Africa Mobile Consumer Survey 2015-16, consumers are increasingly choosing smarter devices, which provide them with access to an increasing range of services from almost any location at any time.The research in Africa centred on 5,000 consumers across urban and rural locations. Respondents included SA, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe.Penetration of the smartphone in SA was 99% in urban areas and 83% in rural areas of the country.This was followed by Nigeria, with 93% penetration in urban areas and 82% in rural.The feature phone, which can access the internet but lacks the advanced functionality of a smartphone, is popular in Kenya and Uganda, at 55% urban penetration in both countries. Feature phones have a rural penetration of 74% in each of those nations.The report says Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly omnipresent in Africa, offering consumers an alte...
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