Sony Mobile says it will continue to target the growing middle class with its products and will not concentrate on manufacturing low-end smartphones.
In an exclusive interview with HumanIPO, Ruediger Odenbach, Sony Mobile vice president for customer units in Middle East and Africa, said the company does not intend to produce any low-end devices for those entering the smartphone market, even though opportunities exist, especially in Africa with many people now transitioning from feature phones to smartphones.
Odenbach said Sony will continue to target the premium user category, especially the growing middle income market.
“No. Sony is not a manufacturer for the low-end smartphone. Sony is a premium brand and we want to deliver the best experience, supreme experience on the smartphone. That is our strategy and vision,” said Odenbach.
The company, currently among the top five high-end smartphone manufacturers globally, says it continues to see increasing volumes in Africa, especially in key markets such as Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa where the company says it will continue with brand expansion and ensuring its products get to customers.
“From the volume which are sold in the African market it is a huge region and we are seeing a lot of opportunities in the near future and we will deploy our smartphones in the market,” Odenbach said.
Odenbach said the company does not intend to release a new device just yet, with the main focus being the rollout of the flagship Sony Xperia Z, launched in Kenya last month.
He says he expects the Kenyan smartphone market to overtake the the feature phone market within the next 24 months.
“Kenya is an important market for us. If you look at market data you will see the smartphone market has been growing rapidly in the last 12 months and we expect that smartphones will take over from feature phones within the next 24 months, hence we see it as an ideal market,” he said.
