Rise Of Tech: World Of Phones

The Executive Director, Mobile Business Group, Lenovo Technologies Middle East & Africa, Mr. Shashank Sharma, speaks to OZIOMA UBABUKOH about the imminent extermination of feature phones in Nigeria, among sundry other issues

Some Nigerians buy premium devices that cost up to N120,000 or more while others go for devices in the range of N20,000 and below. How do you ensure that every user group enjoys a great smartphone experience?

There is a great number of customers that are looking for suitable products in the smartphone segment. You will see that the products that we are coming out with in our A series of smartphones cater to individuals looking for devices that are affordable. We also have our S series and premium Vibe series smartphones that come with more features and more functionality. We have a wide range of products at different price points that cater to the majority of users. Each product comes with its own unique functionality and the ability to deliver value while exceeding customer expectation.

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Despite the ubiquity of smartphones, most consumers do not make optimal use of their mobile devices. Reports indicate that features utilisation is at 30 per cent for the average consumer.

What do you think can be done to help users integrate their smartphones more into their daily lives?

Since the advent of smartphones, we have had increasing access to services that we did not have previously, from social media engagement to communication. People are using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social websites to interact and communicate with one another. But there are a lot of areas where themes remain unexplored. I think it is just a matter of time before most people get exposed to what they can do with their phone and start utilising it in more facets of their lives than they do today.

What fate do you think will befall feature phones in the coming years? Do you think the world as it is today has room for anything less than a smartphone?

All over the world, we are seeing the migration from feature phones to smartphones where customers feel they can get more value in terms of what they want from their mobile devices. That trend began in Nigeria in the last couple of years and is now accelerated. There would be a small number of feature phones around in the next two to three years in Africa, but a majority of feature phone users are going to migrate to smartphones within this period

What do you think are the three most important factors that a buyer should consider when investing in a smartphone?

A reliable brand with a global scale that can protect the customers’ interest – this comes as a first point for me; the second is the kind of service that the brand is able to provide the consumer with and the third would be the features of the device, including display and battery life.

What key trends do you see defining the mobile segment in 2016?

The future is always difficult to predict, but I think that display technology will see some changes. We are already seeing a lot of innovation in this area and I expect that we will have more in the coming year. Also, we will see fingerprint security getting more acceptability, more products that respond to gestures and some innovation in the kind of material that is being used to manufacture smartphones today. I think that we will see interesting things happening in these four areas next year.

Lenovo currently leads the global scene as the number one personal computer maker. What is your strategy to replicate this success with smartphones, especially in emerging markets?

We currently have 20 per cent market share and we are leading in that space, a fact we are very proud of. We are also one of the leading players in the smartphone segment, especially with our acquisition of Motorola. To lead in the smartphone segment, you require innovation and efficiency. Lenovo has a great balance of these qualities. We possess the global scale that is required to compete and win in the smartphone segment. That, combined with the global supply chain, allows me to say that Lenovo is going to be a strong contender for the top spot in the world’s smartphone market. It is important to understand the market that one operates in. At Lenovo, we are right now coming up with products that have designs that are appealing to Nigerian consumers; smartphones which have features that are required and used by Nigerians. We are making products with functionalities that are much in demand by Nigerian consumers, including flash and long battery life.

What has the experience been like for Lenovo across African markets, especially here in Nigeria?

The experience has been very good. We are happy with the response that our products have received here till date. And based on the success we have had, we have actually invested more in this market. We now have more people on the ground. We have strengthened our service network even more by investing in resources. The response we have received has been very good and we believe that Nigeria is right now in a good position to embrace the Lenovo brand even more, especially with the new products that we are coming out with.

Early entrants into Nigeria’s smartphone market seem to have gained footholds and are already controlling large chunks of the market. How are you able to compete?

In every market you enter, you will find other organisations that are already present and own percentages of market share. This has been our experience since we started expanding outside China in the last two years. We have gone into other markets with other brands already on the ground, so it is something that we are ready for; we believe that we are well equipped to compete and get mindshare and market share by providing Nigerians with products with the right kind of design, features and functionalities.

You also recently introduced your P70 and S60 smartphones. What can users expect with these devices?

The Lenovo P70 is a very lovely story for people who need to use their phone for extended periods. The battery of the device can last for up to three days. This is great for people who have a routine that does not allow them to charge their smartphone often. Also, in spite of the P70 smartphone having a 4,000mAh battery, it is not a heavy phone at all. It is slim and very light – much slimmer than smartphones with the same battery size. We are positive that our Nigerian consumers will really like this phone because a lot of people have this kind of requirement. Another unique feature of the P70 is that it can be used to charge other mobile phones. The S60 is a much slimmer device with an eye-catching form. It is easy to hold, lightweight and packed with features that showcase users’ fun and social sides.

What about wearable technology? Do you have any product that fits this description?

Lenovo has been monitoring developments in the wearable technology segment very closely. We will be launching wearable bands this year. The devices will be able to track health and fitness parameters, among others. But the wearable technology segment is still evolving. There are innovations that we will see in the segment in the coming years but I believe that it is still in its nascent stage. We are yet to see the true dimensions of wearable technology.

Tell us about your recent acquisition of Motorola. How will this move affect your smartphone business?

Lenovo has always been a strong player in the global smartphone market, even before the acquisition of Motorola. With the acquisition, it has become even stronger. Motorola gives us a strong brand name, it gives us presence in major markets, it gives us a strong IT portfolio and access to a huge pool of innovation engineers and researchers. For us, it is a great acquisition in every sense. With the help of Motorola, we are able to expand and have a presence in markets where Lenovo products are not being sold today. In addition, our range of products for the customer, including wearables, have grown even bigger as a result of the acquisition.