Nokia has long been a darling especially in developing markets such as Uganda, Kenya and the rest of Africa where it has delivered affordable and durable phones for years. Despite this, Nokia’s lead in the market is threatened by its slow penetration in the Smartphone market which has seen Apple and Samsung lead. According to the latest data from IDC, Samsung was the biggest phone maker by shipments in Q1 2012, followed by Nokia and Apple. Samsung shipped 93.8 million units, compared to Nokia’s 82.7 million, and Apple’s 35.1 million.
Samsung’s strategy has seen it deliver a bewildering number of different models. This has seen Samsung having a phone to suit pretty much every potential customer. If you want something pocket able that’s cheap, there’s a Samsung Galaxy for that (last check with Orange Uganda web shop had Samsung S5570 Galaxy Mini going for 399,000/- ($160). Need lots of power, a massive screen and a stylus to draw pictures with? Samsung Galaxy S Plus or Galaxy S-2 is for you and now Samsung just launched Samsung Galaxy S3. The Samsung Galaxy S3 brings a gorgeous 4.8-inch 720p display, quad-core processor and 8-megapixel camera, all crammed into a good-looking, slim and light casing.
Where do these developments leave Nokia the darling? The mobile industry can change with only a single product and Nokia Lumia with Windows Phone OS that has seen good reviews may be Nokia’s big return to challenge in the Smartphone business. Nokia will need to replicate its successful model that delivered affordable phones to now deliver durable and affordable Smartphone and this it needs to do sooner before Samsung becomes the darling to Ugandans and other Nokia markets at Nokia’s watch!
