How Chinese smartphone makers compete with Samsung and Apple in overseas markets

In Africa, the company that rules the continent’s vast mobile phone market is neither Samsung Electronics or Apple, but a little-known Chinese manufacturer using micro innovations to meet the demands of locals.

Transsion Holdings, a Shenzhen-based phone maker, has captured more than 40 per cent of the mobile market in sub-Saharan African countries by offering headset features designed for local needs.

To name a few, they include smartphones with four SIM cards slots – a design that helps users save money by avoiding out-of-network calls – long standby feature phones with a battery life of up to 15 days to avoid the inconvenience of charging phones in Africa, and camera technology that brings out the best in darker skin tones.

“We listen to the needs of Africa,” said Arif Chowdhury, vice president of Transsion, attributing the company’s success on the continent to a strategy of “think globally, act locally”.

Selling under three major brands – Tecno, itel and Infinix – Transsion is already Africa’s top mobile phone player with a portfolio of products priced from US$15 to US$400. The company saw shipments surge to 80 million units in 2016 from 50 million units the prior year, significantly outpacing the entire phone industry in Africa.