👨🏿‍🚀TechCabal Daily – Nigeria leans on MultiChoice

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WHAT’S NEW AT APPLE?

Nothing much, just a few exciting changes and updates. 

Yesterday, Apple held its annual iPhone event—the Far Out event. There, the tech company announced the latest Apple devices that will be released this year.

We won’t go into detail about the many transistors, microchips, and transmitters no one really understands. We’ll just share the most important updates so you can spend the next one year pining for a phone you don’t need. 😒

The iPhone 14 is here

And it’s everything we expected, with a few minor adjustments. 

Four new phones were announced at Far Out: the iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Plus, the iPhone 14 Pro and—you guessed it—the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The iPhone 14 has a 6.1-inch display, while the iPhone 14 Plus has a 6.7-inch screen; same as the iPhone 14 Pro, and the 14 Pro Max models. 

The iPhone 14 series isn’t that different from the iPhone 13 series, but it’s got a few upgrades that have got Apple stans excited.

• The iPhone 14 series marks the arrival of the always-on display to Apple, a feature that allows smartphones to show limited screen information even while asleep. 
• The iPhone is also moving away from 12-megapixel camera sensors to 48-megapixel sensors. 
• The Pro models will come with a new pill-shaped notch called “Dynamic Island”. Basically, Apple.is integrating software and hardware. Instead of having a plain old camera notch, the notch will interact with other functions of the phone—whether it’s alerts, notifications, or activities.

• E-SIMs are here to stay…at least in the US. All the US and UK versions of the iPhone 14 series will have no SIM card slots; they’ll all use e-SIMs. Think this doesn’t concern you? Think again. Second-hand iPhones on the continent are largely imported from the UK and US, and this means that in a few months, the markets will be flooded with UK-used iPhones that support only e-SIMs. This can be a problem in many African countries where few telecoms actually support e-SIMs.

Pricing for the iPhone 14 starts at $799, and at $899 for the iPhone 14 Plus. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will cost $999 and $1,099, respectively. 

Watch out

Apple also went extreme on the new Apple Watch—the Apple Watch Ultra. 

No, really. The iWatch is literally described as the watch for “extreme sport athletes”. It has a larger 49mm titanium case designed to protect it from wear and tear, a button to help athletes transition between sports, and an app that helps divers track their underwater dives. 

The tech company also announced the Apple Watch 8 series which has new temperature sensors that checks your temperature every five seconds. There’s also the new Airpods Pro which comes with Apple’s new H2 chip and has twice the noise-cancelling capabilities as the previous model.

Zoom out: While no life-changing announcements were made at yesterday’s event, many pocket-altering ones made the cut. If you have an older model iPhone though, you’ll be getting something new for free. Apple announced that iOS 16 will be rolled out on September 12 so everyone with an older model iPhone can experience the concept of inner beauty. 

NIGERIA PRESSURES DSTV TO OFFER CHEAPER RATES

The Nigerian Senate is pressuring MultiChoice, the largest satellite TV provider in Africa, to allow Nigerians to pay only for the content they watch, similar to how they do with electricity and telecommunications services. This comes after MultiChoice raised its subscription fee by 14%. 

A three-member Nigerian tribunal has ordered the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate whether Multichoice already uses pay-as-you-view in South Africa and other nations. If it does, the commission is to make sure Multichoice does the same in Nigeria.

Side bar: In pay-per-view subscription models, viewers are required to pay a fee in order to watch a specific channel. In MultiChoice’s current plans, viewers pay for a bundle that may include dozens of channels that they do not watch.

Well, does it?

For customers of either of the television services it runs, DSTV or GOtv, MultiChoice does not provide pay-as-you-view packages. It only offers monthly subscription plans. 

It appears that the same demand was made in 2020 as well. In response, John Ugbe, CEO of the company’s Nigeria operations, said that Nigeria’s request for a pay-as-you-view model is neither technically feasible nor commercially viable in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world.

Still, we await feedback from the FCCPC. The result of their findings will determine whether MultiChoice gets to lose one of its largest markets and if Nigerians have to kiss popularly watched shows like Big Brother Naija goodbye.

LITTLE GOES ELECTRIC IN KENYA

Super app Little has added electric bikes and scooters to the suite of products it offers in Kenya. The company offers ride-hailing services, delivery, and payment services in Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Senegal. 

With these new products, it joins the growing line of electric mobility providers in the East African country.

Why is electric mobility surging in Kenya?

Little’s electric moves are not shocking. It’s just another instance of how necessity spurs innovation. Fuel is costly and in short supply in Kenya. Kenya is experiencing a crisis of air pollution that is making people sick and even killing them. In 2019, air pollution was cited as the cause of more than 5,000 premature deaths nationwide. As a result, consumers are more motivated to use services that are friendly to their wallets, health, and the environment. 

A little more about these bicycles

The products are made of recyclable materials like steel and aluminium and can run for up to 24 hours after a four-hour charge. You must pay a fee through the Little app in order to activate them for use. The bicycle can be used for an hour for Kshs 60 (50 cents). You only need to use the app to scan the bicycle’s barcode to make a payment. The bicycle can cover up to 65 kilometres on a single charge, while the scooter can cover 25 kilometres in an hour.

Little says that it will release 200 electric bikes for rent in Nairobi, the nation’s capital. This release will serve as a learning experience that will inform the upcoming big rollout of bicycles and scooters in the country.

KCB PARTNERS WITH IFC TO BOOST CLIMATE FINANCE IN KENYA

More money is coming to Kenyan businesses helping mother earth survive climate change!

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has partnered with KCB Bank, Kenya, to boost the region’s climate finance and support businesses addressing the global climate change problem.

A balanced partnership deal

IFC is the guy with deep pockets. Via the partnership, the world bank supported corporation will extend a $150 million loan to KCB bank and help the bank develop a climate finance strategy. It will also help KCB improve its capacity to assess and report climate risks.

The Kenyan bank, on the other hand, is the tap from which money will flow to green businesses seeking to grow and scale. Funding will be directed specifically towards energy efficiency projects, renewable energy, climate-smart projects, and green buildings.

It’s not about profits. Kenya needs help!

The KCB made it clear that the motive behind this partnership is not just to rake in profits from investments. “We’re stepping in to help businesses curtail the adverse impacts of climate change, thus boosting economic growth,” the group CEO said.

Zoom out: Kenya really does need help. The effects of climate change are ravaging communities and impoverishing populations. In fact, the most recent World Bank Kenya Economic Update estimates that up to five million Kenyans need food assistance due to drought and rising food insecurity. In response to this crisis, the Uhuru Kenyatta administration committed to reducing national greenhouse gas emissions by 32%, but enforcement hasn’t been impressive. Thankfully, a new administration is imminent, and private sectors are stepping in with the much-needed funds. Hope lies ahead for Kenya, after all.

IN OTHER NEWS FROM TECHCABAL

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OPPORTUNITIES

• The Ecobank Fintech Challenge 2022 is now open to Africa-focused fintechs addressing specific problems including financial inclusion, credit scoring, and customer experience. One winner will be awarded a grand prize of $50,000. Apply by September 16.

• Fintechs focusing on financial inclusion in Africa can now apply for the CATAPULT: Inclusion Africa Programme 2022. Ten selected fintechs will participate in a one-week all-expenses-paid bootcamp, and participate in the Arch Summit event. Apply by September 15.

• The AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria 2022 is now open to early and growth-stage agritech businesses in Nigeria. Young Nigerians using technological innovation to address smallholder farmer challenges can apply to get up to $10,000 in prizes. Apply by September 16.

What else is happening in tech?

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