If you think the Infinix Zero is cheap, the Infinix Hot should make you think again. The new Android device is the latest in the Infinix Mobility line of smartphones, and will be revealed to the public shortly. I am reliably informed that this phone will be aggressively priced at an amount that will “make your jaws drop”. A spokesperson declined to say exactly how much, just that we can expect that it will retail below N15,000, or $100.
A look at the specs reveal the modifications that were necessary to create a more affordable device. Instead of the 8 Core processor and 13 Megapixel shooter that is on the Zero, the The Infinix Hot is packing a Quad Core 1.3 Ghz engine and 5 megapixel camera. But you still get a 1GB of RAM, 5 inch screen with Gorilla glass IPS display, 16GB internal storage, and Android KitKat 4.4.
The build material has also been altered in favour of changeable covers that can be purchased in multiple and vibrant colour options.
Like the Zero, the Infinix Hot is launching exclusively on Konga.com in Nigeria. From Infinix Mobility’s website, it appears that it will be available in Ghana also, although it is not clear how they intend to distribute it — likely by their standard channels, and not online.
The Infinix Hot would have to be less than N10,000 to really surprise me. Afterall, the Injoo is just over N10k, and it’s got issues. Still, after what I believe was a successful debut for the Infinix Zero which lots of people seem to think is a bargain for the specs and price, a cheaper device that could deliver a comparable experience should, in theory, do well.
The question there is, how low can you go? Quality on Android devices seems to take a drastic hit once you go below N20,000. The people in charge assure us that the modifications which allow the Infinix Hot to be priced below N15k have merely scaled back on non-essential materials that drive up cost, and that the device does not compromise on performance. Until we get our hands on one of them and see for ourselves, we’ll have to take their
word for it.
Konga is no longer exclusive distributor for the Infinix Zero. The device has been available on Jumia since yesterday, so we can assume that these with Infinix Mobility deals are tenured. The sales figure for Infinix Zero devices via Konga is significantly over 50,000 units, I am told. Konga will definitely be deploying considerable marketing muscle to leverage of the Infinix Hot’s aggressive pricing to beat those numbers. Nigerians are cost conscious, which is probably what Konga and Infinix Mobility are betting on. I reckon that both will consider it a successful outcome if the Zero’s loss is the Hot’s gain.
One last thing is puzzling to me. The Infinix brand was originally Tecno’s way of wading upstream into a higher end market for smartphones. Now Infinix is making cheaper devices. I haven’t decided what to make of that yet.
