By Martin Ekpeke
The Africa’s Smartphone market terrain will soon welcome the entry of Vivo, the fast-growing smartphone brand backed by Chinese billionaire Duan Yongping.
“The Africa’s Smartphone terrain, especially Nigeria with the biggest market is on the cards for early next year,” Vivo, regarded as China’s third-largest smartphone brand said in a statement.
The entry, which is set to happen early next year, is part of the brand’s effort to accelerate global expansion and will see it fight market dominance with the likes of Samsung, Apple and other Chinese brands.
Already, it has dethroned Apple and Samsung in its native China with its strategy of packing high-end components into handsets that sold at a fraction of Apple’s. Vivo Smartphones are also known for its fast-charging devices with outsized batteries and memory. It is already consolidating its global relevance by sealing a deal to sponsor both the 2018 FIFA World Cup and India’s cricket league.
Vivo intends to move into the Africa’s market with higher-end devices, including its flagship V7+, launched in Russia, Taiwan and Singapore. The company has also launched the X20 recently in Hong Kong.
Entering Africa would mean altering the already controlled market by Samsung and Apple in the high-end category.
Vivo is a leading global smartphone brand focusing on introducing products with professional-grade audio, extraordinary appearance, and fast and smooth user experience. Vivo was founded in 2009 as a sub-brand of BBK Electronics. The brand entered the telecommunication and consumer electronics industry with landline phones and wireless phones. In 2011, Vivo started manufacturing and marketing its own range of smartphones. Vivo entered the Indian market in 2014.