Realme aims to be Africa’s leading smartphone brand

Realme-concept-store-1.jpg

Realme concept store

by SAVIOUS KWINIKA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE Chinese electronics brand, realme, plans to create an additional 15 markets with 1 million smartphone shipments over the next three years.

This will be under its “Market Cultivation” strategy.

It has entered the South African market with a pledge to revolutionise the high-spec, low-cost market.

“South Africa is just the start of the realme revolution in Africa,” said Gareth Clarke, realme’s Account Lead.

“We want to become the continent’s leading smartphone brand, empowering young content creators who look to cement Africa’s place as the world’s creative powerhouse,” Clarke said.

Realme is rated the world’s fastest-growing smartphone brand.

It is the latest of several mobile technology companies that have entered the cutthroat South African market in the last decade but unlike its competitors, realme said it comes with “an infectious youthful vibe” that is sure to be a hit among a largely underserved demographic – of Gen-Z users between the ages of 18 and 25.

Having hit the 140-million-user mark since its inception in 2018, the brand says it continues to challenge tech norms in 61 markets, including China, India, Kenya, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

It has announced garnering four international awards, including smartphone of the year at the 2020 TechRadar Awards and the 2021 GSMA GLOMO Awards.

The Shenzhen-based firm started originally as an Oppo sub-brand.

Clarke said the company wants to recreate the same “zesty appeal: among Gen-Z content creators in South Africa as it did in India and Southeast Asia.

“Gen-Z is leading the charge in determining the value and direction of creative content,” he said.

“And they are looking for cost-effective ways of creating that content, which is where realme comes in. Our smartphones are very affordable, high-tech and aesthetically pleasing to this market,” said Clarke.

The company is releasing its C-Series range, which is a product line with flagship standards, leading the segment on image, storage, charging and design.

The C55 and C30s in this range are available through realme partners at prices.

The C55 has a 64-megapixel camera, 16GB RAM and 256GB storage. It is available at a recommended retail price (RRP) of R5 999 (US$305) and available at Takealot and MTN.

The C30s comes with a 5000 mAh battery and a 16,5cm (6,5”) full screen at an RRP of R2, 499 available at local retailers, Edgars, Truworths and Woolworths.

How to check your Truworths account online

Despite the C-series entry-level status, Clarke said realme does not compromise on the quality of its specs.

“Our intention is to exceed users’ expectations and to raise the benchmark on the entry-level phone market, ensuring that we retain the ‘champion’ title within the segment,” the executive said.

– CAJ News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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