Orange in new deal with Apple

Customers at an Orange shop. The mobile phone operator is now retailing two models of Apple’s iPhone, as the battle for the domestic smartphone market heats up. Orange said that it was selling the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c in its Kenyan stores. The smartphone market in Kenya and in Africa has become vibrant over the last few years, drawing more investments from mobile phone manufacturers. PHOTO/FILE 

In Summary

• In a statement released on Tuesday, Orange said that it was selling the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c in its Kenyan stores.
• Apple, due to its price ranges, has not performed well in Africa. The phones on offer by Orange will target a niche market.

By NATION REPORTER
More by this Author

Mobile phone operator Orange is now retailing two models of Apple’s iPhone, as the battle for the domestic smartphone market heats up.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Orange said that it was selling the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c in its Kenyan stores.

The two models are Apple’s latest offering and their price ranges will see them compete for the very high-end smartphone market locally.

“These two latest versions of the iPhone will be available starting at Sh72,599 for the 16 GB model and Sh81,899 for the 32 GB model of the 5c  and Sh85,699 for the 16GB model and Sh98,699 for the 32GB model of the 5s,” said Orange.

The smartphone market in Kenya and in Africa has become vibrant over the last few years, drawing more investments from mobile phone manufacturers.

According to data from the International Data Corporation, smartphone shipments to Africa rose 21.5 per cent in quarter two of 2013 accounting for 18 per cent of the region’s  total mobile phone volume.

Apple, due to its price ranges, has not performed well in Africa. The phones on offer by Orange will target a niche market.

In the mass market, they will have to compete with cheaper devices from Samsung and Blackberry, which currently dominate the African  smartphone market.

IDC data indicates that as of June 2013, Samsung accounted for 52.1 per cent market share of Africa’s smartphone market. Blackberry, despite poor performance in the West, had 17.8 per cent share of market volume while LG, which has been trying to penetrate the African market, had 2 per cent share.