$80 Huawei IDEOS sells 350K units thus far in Kenya

Posted by Charbax – August 18, 2011

SingularityHub.com publishes this article about the explosion of access to cheap Android phones in the developing world. Already 350 thousand $80 Huawei IDEOS have been sold through Kenya’s carrier Safaricom. Kenya has a population of 41 million people, 40% are said to live with less than $2 per day.

The developing world, Africa, BRIC countries Brazil, Russia, India, China, access to cheaper Android in those countries, that is the most interesting story in technology today. Sure we will all also get better, faster, more powerful, more colorful and more featureful gadgets soon also. But the idea that 5 Billion people may soon experience the Internet for the first time through Android smart phones, and thinking of what that can potentially do to improve peoples lives, that is the biggest story.

We’re talking better farming, better healthcare, better commerce, better education, better democracy. The potential is immense. Hopefully technology companies are really attentive, hopefully software developers are imaginative, hopefully telecom carriers and Governments embrace this for all and very fast, Android may reach sub-$50 phones before the end of this year to even further accelerate the reach and accessibility.

Here’s my video of the Huawei IDEOS as it was unveiled for the first time at the IFA 2010 consumer electronics show in Berlin (the next IFA 2011 is coming up in less than 2 weeks, I will provide you with a full video coverage of all the latest ARM Powered devices shown there):

Follow this blog for the latest news on the cheapest Android phones, I am trying to find some new MTK6573, ST U6715, MSM7227 and the upcoming new cheaper smart phone platforms out of China and elsewhere. Look forward to a lot of crazy cheap Android smart phone news in the months to come. By the way, I’ve used my $87 FG8 for the past 3 months as my main phone and it has worked great.

via: techmeme.com

  • http://twitter.com/scottus scottus

    I am pretty sure that in America that phone is the t-mobile Comet. I purchased one a few months ago  for about $99 with a pay as you go pre-paid plan. The only downside is that it doesn’t run flash.  A very nice device. I actually love that it is small and fits anywhere. Mine came with swype which is really excellent.

  • Maventwo

    Google proposed standard for VoIP with videochatt called webRTC under Open source and royalty free code which w3c as Tim Berners-Lee is CEO of, w3c have a developing team in for implementation of webRTC standard in web browsers.

    Mark Shattleworth company Canonical and the community behind Ubuntu OS have put Africa on the Map in brands in computing and philosophy.

    Ubuntu is not only swahili for Mankind it is also a philosophy about Humanity.

    With Google acquisition of Motorola Mobility for making their developing of Android OS more secure against Oracle,Apple and Microsoft evil lawsuit and Google developing of superb mobility of Smartphone and tablet pc with Android implement in hardware.

    The world will be a better place for more people, and the so called developing world can soon be a frontier in a more “Ubuntu like world” where todays poor people can know more and more because the developing of cheaper and better Smartphones and tablet pc.

    Ushahidi is one good example from Africa.
    http://www.ushahidi.com/about-us

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Daniel-Devine/100000206529782 Daniel Devine

    I’m running CyanogenMod on one of these (in Australia). It’s the best cheap Android phone in Australia. I belive in the USA there is better options for $150.

    Also, Maventwo I think you’ll find that Ubuntu is in fact Swahili for “can’t install Debian”.

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