Egypt’s Mobile operator Etisalat Egypt has announced its first ever branded smartphone running on the Android operating system intended to offer high powered smartphones at an affordable price to its subscribers.
The phone supports 3G, and uses a Qualcomm’s S1 Snapdragon processor, and will come with a special call and data tariff for users.
Engineer Wael Abu Al Ila, head of marketing at Etisalat Egypt, said: “Etisalat Egypt launched this smartphone as part of its initiative to meet the need of the Egyptian market for a device that combines high power and affordable cost.
“We also issued a special tariff for the users of this mobile to meet their needs for data and voice services. This is the first step toward providing smartphones to all members of the society.”
Also speaking at the launch, Jihad Srage, the senior vice president and president of Middle East, Africa and Central Asia operations at Qualcomm said he is excited Etisalat has chosen their Snapdragon S1 processor to power their first smartphone release.
“Etisalat’s new smartphone is a powerful device for today’s value driven consumer,” he said.
The Snapdragon processor will ensure that users enjoy a better performance on battery life. The phone’s features include a 3.5 inch touchscreen, front and back cameras, radio, Wi-Fi and GPS.
The phone’s pre-loaded applications include Microsoft Office, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the Wasalni road map app to help road users navigate their way in the country.
Egypt’s smartphone penetration now stands at between 26 percent. Some 29 percent of smartphone owners access the Internet every day from their device.
A recent study by Google in partnership with Ipsos OTX Media CT revealed that 88 percent of smartphone users in Egypt multi-task on their phones and look for local information on their phone and 90 percent take action a result.
With Egypt having the second largest number of Internet users in Africa after Nigeria, Etisalat may be looking to reap bigger from this market with their branded affordable smartphones.
