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Mara Phones is a smartphone brand owned by Mara Group and is headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda. The brand began to manufacture its first smartphones from a South African plant in 2018. The company says its mission is to produce smartphones for African and global markets.
Mara claims that its Rwanda facility is the first to fully manufacture smartphones 100% locally in Africa, different from product assembly as carried out at other phone factories across the continent. According to the company, all components of the products, including chips, are made locally.
Nigeria’s Afrione has a factory in Lagos, opened in 2017, and where it assembles feature phones, smartphones, and accessories.
Mara’s claim about 100% locally sourced components is hard to believe. There are very few manufacturers in the world that have the capacity to build devices 100% from scratch.
For example, what Processors do Mara phones use? Qualcomm Snapdragon. Those are not built by Mara. Corning Gorilla Glass used in the Mara Z is not made in Rwanda either. There are more that can be pointed out. At the end of the day, the claim sounds more like a PR/marketing stunt.
According to reports, Mara Phones’ Kigali factory employs over 200 staff, currently produces 1,000 phones a day, though it has has the capacity to manufacture over 5,000 units a day.
Mara Phones Products – Made in Africa
Mara mobile products currently include two smartphones, the entry-level Mara X , and the mid-range Mara Z . Both phones are claimed to be the first truly made in Africa smartphones by the company (and that is arguable, as this article has pointed out earlier) and they exist in the sub-$200 price segment.
In addition, the two Mara phones run stock Android OS and are Android One devices, with the promise of two Android OS version updates. Both models come pre-installed with Mara Mentor, while the Mara Z also has the Thrive Away app pre-installed in addition.
Mara X is an entry-level Android 8 Oreo smartphone
The two Mara phone models are available in Kigali, Rwanda and will face off better priced devices from TECNO Mobile, Samsung, and itel, among others.
Check out the Mara X specifications and the Mara Z specifications .
Mara Phones – Markets and Territories
Mara Phones has operations in Rwanda, South Africa, and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
There are conflicting reports about Mara’s smartphone manufacturing plant in South Africa. Some reports say manufacturing started in South Africa in 2018 [2], while others claim that the Durban plant will come on stream in October 2019.
The company has also expressed interest in establishing a factory in Nigeria, the continent’s largest mobile market[3]. As such, it is expected that Mara phones will go on sale there sooner or later.
Mara reportedly looks to export its products to Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya as well. The company will need heavy export operations in order to take advantage of economies of scale to drive down the cost of its devices.
Rwanda is not exactly a large market for mobile phones. The country has an estimated population of 13 million people. In addition to the small size of the population, the mobile market in Rwanda is predominantly made up of feature phones, with smartphone penetration standing at 15% as at 2019.
Affordability is the big problem and the new phones from Mara being priced above competing products from the likes of TECNO Mobile makes them a tough sell from the start. Mara is reported to have introduced an installment payment scheme of some sort in Kigali to make them more affordable.
Mara’s South Africa factory goes under
In February 2022, Business Insider reported that Mara’s South Africa factory has been shut down and put on auction[4]. The manufacturing facility in Kigali is “still operational and is reported to have been consistently producing phones”, says a TekExpert report[5], but only at 20% capacity.
Where is Mara phone made?
Mara smartphones are made in their manufacturing facilities in Rwanda and South Africa.
Where is Mara phone from?
Mara phone is a Rwandan brand that manufactures Android smartphones. The brand has a manufacturing facility in Kigali, Rwanda and Durban, South Africa.
What is Mara smartphone?
Mara is an African smartphone brand with production facilities in Rwanda and South Africa.
References
- Mara Phone website: Link
- Mara Group announces availability of South African manufactured smartphones: source .
- Mara proposes smartphone factory in Nigeria: source .
- Mara Phones say COVID and lack of uptake in South Africa led to its demise: source .
- Mara’s South Africa ambitions come to a pandemic end: source .
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
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Picture a smart air conditioner that also purifies the air, dehumidifiers the air, has energy saving, and that can be controlled via an app on your smartphone. That is a picture of the LG ThinQ DualCool Premium AC. With the LG ThinQ app, users can operate the air conditioner, change the mode, or set the temperature from anywhere – home, office, or on the road.
The premium air conditioner was launched in Lagos on Friday, 25th of October 2019, when it was introduced into the Nigerian market. It is the first of its kind to be introduced in the Middle East & Africa region apart from the Korean market.
LG ThinQ Dualcool Premium AC has been unveiled in Lagos, Nigeria
What sets the LG ThinQ Dualcool Premium AC apart from the competition
LG ThinQ Dualcool Premium AC is a life changer because it’s beyond just an Air Conditioner as it is packed with health benefits for our consumers and other mind-blowing features that you would desire to have in your kind of AC.
Announcing the launch of this new range of air conditioner, Mr. James Lee, President, LG Electronics, Middle East & Africa Region said; “As a global company, LG Electronics has come a long way in supporting millions of households with quality, cutting-edge technological products. Our philosophy to technology and innovative designs has obviously endeared us to our esteemed consumers in Nigeria and all over the world.
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Compared to the general cooling of 10.8℃ in average, LG DUALCOOL Premium Air Conditioner blows 6.8℃ wind in average to provide instant cooling when it is turned on. Even the electric fans adjust the wind directions. It does not make sense that an air conditioner is unable to adjust the wind directions. The Air conditioner provides custom cooling of direct-indirect winds with up down left right wind control.
With LG ThinQ TM , users can operate the air conditioner, change the mode or set the temperature from anywhere. LG ThinQ app can be downloaded on the smartphone from Google Play Store by Android mobile phone users or app store by iPhone users.
In his remark, Mr Mohammed Fouani, Managing Director, Fouani Nigeria Ltd, said LG has been consistent in producing quality products that meet the yearnings and aspirations of customers. “Life’s more than having the latest electronics, but about the experiences that technology creates. LG has been consistent in churning out products that create comfort and peace of mind, and we are happy to be one of their distributors.
“I believe the new LG ThinQ Dualcool Premium AC will address the needs of our esteemed consumers who are health conscious and want to live a healthy lifestyle. The new air conditioner is a solution provider to all worries, especially when you are worried about the quality of the air you breathe in. You can be rest assured the LG ThinQ Dualcool Premium AC will beautifully take care of everything.
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L-R: Mr. Taieck Son, Managing Director, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr. James Lee, Regional President, LG Electronics, Middle East & Africa Region, Ms. Toke Makinwa, Celebrity and a renowned On-Air Personality and Mr. Mohammed Fouani, Managing Director, Fouani Nigeria Ltd at the launch of the LG DUALCOOL Premium Air Conditioner today at Sheraton Hotel Ikeja Lagos, Nigeria.
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