6 ms·

Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative: an affordable smartphone for Africa

21 points by pioul 14y ago

wreckimnaked 14y ago
TL;DR: after establishing an almost undisputed OS monopoly through OEMs in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania, Microsoft is now looking forward to also trap most users from Africa on their first computing experiences by selling them refurbished cheap smartphones and PCs running an insecure and patchy OS under the umbrella of pushing development forward for their own good. I wouldn't like to play a game of Risk with those executives.
- anExcitedBeast 14y ago
  I have a hunch if Apple were doing this you'd be all about it.
  - melling 14y ago
    I love iOS but wouldn't Android be a better choice in merging markets? A lot more variety and cheaper. I'm not sure why Google hasn't brought Android to the desktop. It could be a real third desktop choice.
    - brudgers 14y ago
      Google can't make money in places where people are less likely to use online services. Pushing Android in the bush, doesn't do anything for them. On the other hand, because Microsoft earns revenue when phones are sold, they have an interest in encouraging sales in places with low penetration of wireless data services.
  - Shorel 14y ago
    Sorry to jump in the discussion, but if Ubuntu were doing this I'd be all about it.
  - wreckimnaked 14y ago
    > insecure and patchy OS
matmann2001 14y ago
How about an affordable smartphone for America?
nspattak 14y ago
How about affordable food and water in Africa first?
- zokier 14y ago
  You realize that Africa is quite large continent with areas of vastly different developmental stage. Generalizing Africa as one food- and water-deprived blob is really disingenuous imho.
  - assane101 14y ago
    So is generalizing Africa as one "need a low cost" smartphone blob, too.
  - nspattak 14y ago
    I never said that every single person in Africa is starving, if that is where you are getting. All I am saying is that the percentage of people literally starving in this continent is so huge that talking about an affordable smartphone is a hybris, if you are familiar with the concept. It feels inhuman, disgusting, pathetic and a lot of other feelings (to me - IMHO) that someone takes action to address the lack of smartphones in Africa before he adresses starvation. But then, I would not expect anything less from M$.
    - inetsee 14y ago
      I believe the best way of dealing with the starvation problem in Africa (or anywhere else) is to provide the workers with the skills to compete in the high technology employment marketplace. Smartphones are a good way to provide low cost access to web-based training. Africa cannot afford the cost of providing wired access to the Internet; providing wireless access is orders of magnitude less expensive than trying to wire up the entire continent. I would hope that an initiative like this would encourage others (like Mozilla with their lower cost, more open smartphone projects) to try to help provide Africa with better, less expensive Internet access.
    - PavlovsCat 14y ago
plaes 14y ago
I guess they're just late - http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/10/50-android-smartphones-are-disrupting-africa-much-faster-than-you-think-says-wikipedias-jimmy-wales/ http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/10/50-android-smartphones-are-...
assane101 14y ago
As far as I know, Africa is not a country, neither is it a federation of countries. Why on earth do people think a "one size fits all" solution is right for a whole continent ? I am sick with this "standardization" of these people, this "y'all screwed people, in the same sinking boat, let us help you". People there don't need a cheap crap, they can see those gorgeous smartphones advertised on TV, and they want one of those, who would like a "smartphone for the poor people" ? So, stop this condescending business approach, be fair with the continent and ask for more equity. This way, African economy will thrive (this continent has a lot of resources), enabling millions of people, giving them chance to buy a full-featured smartphone and be proud of owning one. But don't get me wrong, I'm not saying a crappy low cost smartphone won't be of any help, I'm just saying thing can be lot more better, more fair and more "dignifying".
- anExcitedBeast 14y ago
  There is nothing wrong with selling fairly priced products to people who will get incredible value out of them. Something tells me the people buying these phones won't share your elitist view of phone ownership. These 'undignified' phones are much more powerful than top of the line phones were five years ago.
- brudgers 14y ago
  This isn't really a valid criticism of the program. The project is currently moving into specific markets. These are all places with access to undersea cable and with significant penetration of Western European languages. From the linked Huawei announcement: "the Huawei 4Afrika will be available from Huawei, in Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Angola, Morocco and South Africa towards the later part of the 1st Quarter 2013." From the original post: "This online hub will initially be available in Morocco and South Africa and will expand to other markets over time"
- freehunter 14y ago
  >who would like a "smartphone for the poor people" ? In America, I see people who get a Blackberry Curve free with their phone contract and are pleased as punch to show off their new "smartphone". One encounter that sticks in my mind was when I almost got hit for saying that a Blackberry wasn't really a smartphone while I was at a party not knowing that a very satisfied and very drunk Blackberry customer was standing beside me, someone who was proud that they could afford a Blackberry Curve and didn't take kindly to anyone attempting to disrupt their self-image. Yes, customers will buy phones for poor people. The Blackberry Curve is still selling. The iPhone 3GS is still selling. If anyone is being condescending here, it's you and your view that you understand a situation when it's obvious you don't. Phones for poor people doesn't need to have a stigma attached to it. "If they can't afford an iPhone 5, they don't deserve a phone at all" is what I'm getting from your comment. Where's the dignity in that?
meric 14y ago
Is the "4Afrika" moniker designed for Africans or everyone else? I'm not sure a phone branded "4Ozzies" would be appealing to me. I don't think a "4mericans" would appeal to US mobile phone users either.
- assemble 14y ago
  "4mericans" might actually work.
JVIDEL 14y ago
Haha man they can't sell any WP8 over here so they send them to Africa in hope of getting them hooked to Windows like they did to the rest of the world, after all the number of PC users there is really low and people all over the continent are buying cheap Android phones. This is not charity...
nextparadigms 14y ago
There are Android smartphones that go for $50 in Africa. And they will be down to $30 by the end of this year. Now that's an affordable smartphone. Do they really think $150 is affordable in Kenya? That's like a high-end device for them. And there are plenty of Android devices from $50 to $150 and beyond, too. Microsoft is in no danger of "winning" Africa.
- brudgers 14y ago
  Microsoft appears to have some interest in a long term smart phone strategy which entails treating it as a general computing device - e.g. TouchDevelop. Currently, Google appears to be moving in a different direction centered around online services. Because Microsoft sells its OS it can make money when hardware is sold. Google cannot do that with its current offerings.
vamur 14y ago
Ascend W1 costs $300, so Microsoft is subsidising 50% of the phone. Not sure how that is not considered as price dumping. Also, the 4Afrika website looks like a typical short-lived Microsoft marketing initiative.

21 points by pioul 14y ago

TL;DR: after establishing an almost undisputed OS monopoly through OEMs in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania, Microsoft is now looking forward to also trap most users from Africa on their first computing experiences by selling them refurbished cheap smartphones and PCs running an insecure and patchy OS under the umbrella of pushing development forward for their own good. I wouldn't like to play a game of Risk with those executives.

anExcitedBeast 14y ago
I have a hunch if Apple were doing this you'd be all about it.
- melling 14y ago
  I love iOS but wouldn't Android be a better choice in merging markets? A lot more variety and cheaper. I'm not sure why Google hasn't brought Android to the desktop. It could be a real third desktop choice.
  - brudgers 14y ago
    Google can't make money in places where people are less likely to use online services. Pushing Android in the bush, doesn't do anything for them. On the other hand, because Microsoft earns revenue when phones are sold, they have an interest in encouraging sales in places with low penetration of wireless data services.
- Shorel 14y ago
  Sorry to jump in the discussion, but if Ubuntu were doing this I'd be all about it.
- wreckimnaked 14y ago
  > insecure and patchy OS

matmann2001 14y ago

How about an affordable smartphone for America?

nspattak 14y ago

How about affordable food and water in Africa first?

zokier 14y ago
You realize that Africa is quite large continent with areas of vastly different developmental stage. Generalizing Africa as one food- and water-deprived blob is really disingenuous imho.
- assane101 14y ago
  So is generalizing Africa as one "need a low cost" smartphone blob, too.
- nspattak 14y ago
  I never said that every single person in Africa is starving, if that is where you are getting. All I am saying is that the percentage of people literally starving in this continent is so huge that talking about an affordable smartphone is a hybris, if you are familiar with the concept. It feels inhuman, disgusting, pathetic and a lot of other feelings (to me - IMHO) that someone takes action to address the lack of smartphones in Africa before he adresses starvation. But then, I would not expect anything less from M$.
  - inetsee 14y ago
    I believe the best way of dealing with the starvation problem in Africa (or anywhere else) is to provide the workers with the skills to compete in the high technology employment marketplace. Smartphones are a good way to provide low cost access to web-based training. Africa cannot afford the cost of providing wired access to the Internet; providing wireless access is orders of magnitude less expensive than trying to wire up the entire continent. I would hope that an initiative like this would encourage others (like Mozilla with their lower cost, more open smartphone projects) to try to help provide Africa with better, less expensive Internet access.
  - PavlovsCat 14y ago

plaes 14y ago

I guess they're just late - http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/10/50-android-smartphones-are-disrupting-africa-much-faster-than-you-think-says-wikipedias-jimmy-wales/ http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/10/50-android-smartphones-are-...

assane101 14y ago

As far as I know, Africa is not a country, neither is it a federation of countries. Why on earth do people think a "one size fits all" solution is right for a whole continent ? I am sick with this "standardization" of these people, this "y'all screwed people, in the same sinking boat, let us help you". People there don't need a cheap crap, they can see those gorgeous smartphones advertised on TV, and they want one of those, who would like a "smartphone for the poor people" ? So, stop this condescending business approach, be fair with the continent and ask for more equity. This way, African economy will thrive (this continent has a lot of resources), enabling millions of people, giving them chance to buy a full-featured smartphone and be proud of owning one. But don't get me wrong, I'm not saying a crappy low cost smartphone won't be of any help, I'm just saying thing can be lot more better, more fair and more "dignifying".

anExcitedBeast 14y ago
There is nothing wrong with selling fairly priced products to people who will get incredible value out of them. Something tells me the people buying these phones won't share your elitist view of phone ownership. These 'undignified' phones are much more powerful than top of the line phones were five years ago.
brudgers 14y ago
This isn't really a valid criticism of the program. The project is currently moving into specific markets. These are all places with access to undersea cable and with significant penetration of Western European languages. From the linked Huawei announcement: "the Huawei 4Afrika will be available from Huawei, in Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Angola, Morocco and South Africa towards the later part of the 1st Quarter 2013." From the original post: "This online hub will initially be available in Morocco and South Africa and will expand to other markets over time"
freehunter 14y ago
>who would like a "smartphone for the poor people" ? In America, I see people who get a Blackberry Curve free with their phone contract and are pleased as punch to show off their new "smartphone". One encounter that sticks in my mind was when I almost got hit for saying that a Blackberry wasn't really a smartphone while I was at a party not knowing that a very satisfied and very drunk Blackberry customer was standing beside me, someone who was proud that they could afford a Blackberry Curve and didn't take kindly to anyone attempting to disrupt their self-image. Yes, customers will buy phones for poor people. The Blackberry Curve is still selling. The iPhone 3GS is still selling. If anyone is being condescending here, it's you and your view that you understand a situation when it's obvious you don't. Phones for poor people doesn't need to have a stigma attached to it. "If they can't afford an iPhone 5, they don't deserve a phone at all" is what I'm getting from your comment. Where's the dignity in that?

meric 14y ago

Is the "4Afrika" moniker designed for Africans or everyone else? I'm not sure a phone branded "4Ozzies" would be appealing to me. I don't think a "4mericans" would appeal to US mobile phone users either.

assemble 14y ago
"4mericans" might actually work.

JVIDEL 14y ago

Haha man they can't sell any WP8 over here so they send them to Africa in hope of getting them hooked to Windows like they did to the rest of the world, after all the number of PC users there is really low and people all over the continent are buying cheap Android phones. This is not charity...

nextparadigms 14y ago

There are Android smartphones that go for $50 in Africa. And they will be down to $30 by the end of this year. Now that's an affordable smartphone. Do they really think $150 is affordable in Kenya? That's like a high-end device for them. And there are plenty of Android devices from $50 to $150 and beyond, too. Microsoft is in no danger of "winning" Africa.

brudgers 14y ago
Microsoft appears to have some interest in a long term smart phone strategy which entails treating it as a general computing device - e.g. TouchDevelop. Currently, Google appears to be moving in a different direction centered around online services. Because Microsoft sells its OS it can make money when hardware is sold. Google cannot do that with its current offerings.

vamur 14y ago

Ascend W1 costs $300, so Microsoft is subsidising 50% of the phone. Not sure how that is not considered as price dumping. Also, the 4Afrika website looks like a typical short-lived Microsoft marketing initiative.