Google and Huawei have launched a very competitively priced Android smartphone in Kenya today, called the IDEOS. It is being sold for 8,000 Ksh (~$100).
It runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) and have access to the Android Market. The IDEOS is a touch-screen phone that comes with bluetooth connectivity, GPS, a 3.2-megapixel camera, up to 16GB of storage and can be transformed into a 3G Wi-Fi hotspot connecting up to eight devices.
2 out of every 3 internet users in Kenya connect through their mobile phone. This is why data is the current battleground in the mobile operator and handset space. Though there are only 6 million internet users in Kenya, the data market though the mobile is huge. Currently, there are 20 million mobile phone subscribers of a total 38 million possible.
Data enabled phones of any type cost a minimum of $40-50 in Kenya, a touchscreen smartphone coming in at $100 is going to be a big deal for a lot of people.
gKenya
Google Kenya started their gKenya conference today. They are meeting with software developers, entrepreneurs and CS students at Strathmore University over 3 days to discuss innovation and growing businesses, as well as discussing their own suite of products.
[An update, after discussions with a bunch of Google employees at the iHub yesterday. The Google team said they didn not know when the phone would be able to be bought in Kenya.]
Android and pre-paid phones
There are two very big issues that the Android team will need to take care of before we see Android being used heavily in Africa.
First, the lack of access to SIM applications is surprising. These are the apps like Mpesa, top-up services and such. These aren’t just “nice to have” features, these are critical and the phone will fail if it doesn’t have them enabled. Your most basic phones can do this, but smartphones running Android cannot? (Note: unless you root your phone)
Second, there are a lot of background services running on an Android phone that use data. That’s fine for people living in an all-you-can-eat world of bandwidth, but here where we have to pay by the megabyte, it doesn’t work. I remember one day when my phone used up 1000 Ksh of credit ($12), that’s unacceptable and will drive users away very quickly.
September 6, 2010 at 6:37 am
Wow! This is really cool. I wonder, are they making them available at the G-Kenya event? Or is there going to be a distribution partnership with Safaricom?
September 6, 2010 at 6:48 am
WOW!
This is too good to be true! Lets wait and see the responses 😉
September 6, 2010 at 7:13 am
The price is right this will be BIG.
September 6, 2010 at 9:06 am
where can i get this phone? everything about it sounds right.
September 6, 2010 at 9:49 am
Is this the first phone that allows you to turn you phone into a hotspot for Kenya? It will be interesting to see how it is received. On a side note huawei is desperately trying to do business in the states.
September 6, 2010 at 9:59 am
This is good. Anyone knows where they are retailing?
September 6, 2010 at 10:57 am
Awaiting to see the uptake on this phone.
Any one tried it yet? Would love some hands-on review…
September 6, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Jah Rastafari.
September 6, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Pliz! avail this product to Tanzania too!
September 7, 2010 at 2:22 am
Hey, I have an android phone, and can use MPESA et al. Which particular phones dont support sim applications?
September 7, 2010 at 3:17 am
Thats great to hear..am not sure when will they be available in Tz!!
September 7, 2010 at 3:20 am
Its really great to hear that, am glad..am not sure when will they be available in TZ
September 7, 2010 at 4:38 am
@Edwin – Some Android phones don’t allow access to the STK (SIM toolkit), such as the Nexus 1. It’s unknown if the IDEOS allows it.
September 7, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Looks like there was some miscommunication between Huawei en Google:
“The Android launch came on the same days as a local operator announced plans to sell an inexpensive Android powered phone in Africa. Let’s be clear – the timing was an accident and not coordinated with us [Google].”
http://google-africa.blogspot.com/2010/09/androiding-in-nairobi.html
September 8, 2010 at 2:04 am
This is awsome. They need to correct the sim apps bit. MPESA is a necessity in Kenya.
September 8, 2010 at 8:16 am
How can one acquire this phone, and can it work in other parts of Africa? I am writing from Zambia.
September 8, 2010 at 9:13 am
where do we get it??///……………
September 8, 2010 at 9:19 am
Yes, great phone for the right market, wd also like to buy one. Afaik, it sells as “T-Mobile Pulse” in .DE for ~ 260,- EUR (if this is indeed the Huawei U8220 as reported by the DN).
“a lot of background services running on an Android phone that use data. ”
This, coupled with the unfortunate combination of a multi-OS like Android (see http://www.themobilefanatics.com/the-truth-about-why-your-smartphone-battery-sucks/ why) certainly is something they will really have to work on. Are ppl really aware of the many services running on the background and how will they control it? What will protect them from malicious apps on the market?
The best part about this phone (except for its low entry price), however is that it will hopefully attract more devs. Thx 4 the info, Erik!
September 8, 2010 at 9:24 am
Was the IDEOS only announced or is it already available in Kenya? Didn’t got that. Victor Xu, Huawei’s Chief Marketing Officer, twittered on September 2nd that “the IDEOS will be available in certain markets within a week from now”. I am really fired up for this smartphone and sitting here in Germany where the phone will probably get on the market not before end September, maybe later.
September 8, 2010 at 10:00 am
@jke: The Pulse is an older T-Mobile branded Huawei U8220, launched about a year ago, originally only with Android 1.5, but a good (480 x 320 px) and quite big screen (3.5 inch). The announced U8150 is “labelled” as IDEOS, it has a 2.8 inch screen with 320 × 240 px. [= Wrong caption or old photo of linked Business Daily article?]
September 8, 2010 at 1:13 pm
I still waiting this gooood item come to Indonesia
September 10, 2010 at 9:14 pm
@Martin: ah, ok, thx!
September 11, 2010 at 5:06 am
The “IDEOS” phone seems to have good specs and the price is right. The other Android offerings by Safaricom are weak. I mean, come on, the U8220 is running Android 1.5 and it costs, what, 27,000? I’d rather buy an iPod and then use my mulika mwizi to make phone calls. Mobile Safari + WiFi is better than anything on Android, I hate to say.
One thing is certain, though: root ni lazima. 😉
Also, why do companies “launch” stuff we can’t readily go out and buy?
September 13, 2010 at 1:40 am
this is the way to go, spent the whole weekend on my android and very little time on my computer which was right next to it.
September 13, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Wow! Now its very easy for Kenia people to taste of Android phones, why not Google offering such tie up for Indian market.
September 18, 2010 at 2:19 pm
so,where can i get it and is it really 8000 bob?
September 25, 2010 at 12:55 am
1000 Shillings on background data consumption a day! Holy Crap i might have to rethink on this one! advice plz
September 29, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Has anyone been able to find this phone in the wild? I couldn’t find one in Nairobi a few days after the launch. Very interested in picking one up. Thanks!
October 12, 2010 at 6:02 am
Hello,
I have been desperately trying to find this phone in Kisumu and thought it must be available in Nairobi but as far as I can tell nobody in phone shops knows about it, and most places they don’t even know what Android is. I did find the Huawei/Vodafone 845 Android phone at Safaricom shops for 16,499 shillings. This is running Android 2.1. Is this what has actually been released instead of the IDEOS? Any ideas?
October 13, 2010 at 1:26 am
At Josephine..
The Phone is not in the market yet. But its expected probably this month. Its already been released in singapore and some Asian countries so its coming this way soonest. And no don’t confuse it with Huawei/Vodafone 845 That was released way back. Cheers
November 16, 2010 at 3:00 am
it’s a great deal! i know technology can’t be resisted let it come by its very own wave, welcome android.
January 11, 2011 at 11:25 pm
Ok, the camera is 3.2mpx only + fixed focus, LAKINI this one is ~ 81 EUR + the data package while the same phone sells for 190 EUR in Germoney.
Crazy.
March 22, 2011 at 4:53 am
Hi i love the phone & its feutures espe google maps
ha ha ha ha ha
May 25, 2011 at 6:02 am
have it already and am experiencing a problem with it as in when making a call the other end can hear me but on my side i can hear them, and when i connect the hands free i can hear is the ear piece the problem or thea is a setting miss? please help
June 30, 2011 at 8:01 am
The phone is serving me alright except i can not forward a message. Any help???? Uses airtime fast though….
July 9, 2011 at 10:14 am
hi,i will like to know how i can get one in ghana?thanks
August 15, 2011 at 8:17 am
I need one
September 24, 2011 at 1:25 am
I have heard of this phone and I really want to know whether it’s good because I’m buying it on Monday. Is it good?
October 10, 2011 at 10:00 am
Why is my ideos phone keeps on loosing network while browsing?
October 16, 2011 at 10:28 am
Am enjoying the Ideos phone. Its loaded and yet cheaper though in Zambia we are getting it at $200
November 18, 2011 at 12:14 am
it came and i was among the first group to buy the first batch but barely three months it let me down. Though the operator made it under warranty it ever made me worry of it failing especially when the message” android system in …..(certain app)…… is not responding force to close…. wait” i mean what is this?
December 1, 2011 at 6:34 am
how much is ideos pnone i want 1
December 1, 2011 at 6:35 am
how much is the ideos phone i want 1 this weekend
December 9, 2011 at 1:35 am
I bought ideos x5 phone and is really fantastic to use. One handicap it has is that the battery discharges so fast that the phone disconnects you with the rest of the world. Is it possible to develop another more advanced battery for this phone?.
December 16, 2011 at 6:19 am
This product has also been released in Zimbabwe. Am going to hav a go at it! Sounds good though the launch price in Zim, US$165, is slightly higher than Kenya.
December 28, 2011 at 4:44 pm
does the ideos support the normal SIM CARDS?
January 30, 2012 at 7:27 am
i’m in looooove with this phone!!!!!!!!!
April 13, 2012 at 2:55 am
am in nakuru, where can i get the phone?
June 7, 2012 at 9:40 am
Am selling my ideos @ 6,000 call me 0727207102
September 5, 2012 at 1:10 am
I have an idios phone but whenever I change the sim card it never lights on, I have tried almost all phone repairs but all in vain. Please help me via my email.
December 19, 2012 at 1:37 am
Hi everyone i have a dilema with an ideos phone i some how managed to lock it and it is requsting an email which i dont know is there any one who has an idea how i can make it work again.