Chinese smartphone brand Tecno Mobile has been named as the top smartphone brand in Africa.
Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor service announced this week that the Transsion Holdings-owned brand’s successful launch of handset models in the affordable segment and continued market spending has allowed it to make significant inroads on the continent.
Tecno Mobile managed to achieve this despite a 6,7% year-on-year fall in Africa’s smartphone shipments in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The IDC (International Data Corporation) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker had already placed the company first in Africa for Q1 to Q3 last year, achieving an overall fourth global mobile phone ranking.
IDC research also shows that Transsion Holdings’ brands Tecno Mobile, itel, and Infinix led the African smartphone market in Q4 2020 with a combined unit share of 48,2%.
According to the Counterpoint data released this week, Tecno Mobile was responsible for 18% of the total smartphone shipment to Africa last year thanks to a strong second half.
According to Counterpoint, four in five smartphones shipped in Africa fall below the $200 mark (R2 900).
“The ASP decreased 15% between 2018 and 2020, and today over 80% of Africa’s smartphone shipments come from the below $200 band. We can expect further replacement of feature phones by entry-level smartphones, leading to the ASP likely remaining under pressure in the next few years,” says Counterpoint analyst Yang Wang.