Tecno, a challenger smartphone brand gaining popularity in Africa, recently hosted a showcase event in Johannesburg to reveal its latest products and innovations. The Tecno Showcase afforded media pundits the opportunity to see exactly what the brand has in store for the year to come, and, as we have seen with Huawei in the past, it may be dead set on becoming a market leader. 

Founded in 2006 as a subsidiary of Transsion Holdings, a Chinese company that also owns other smartphone brands Infinix and Itel, Tecno has grown into a beloved brand in many markets. While mostly expanded to regions such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, it focuses on affordability and localised features. Tecno has become one of the leading smartphone brands in countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana and now the brand has its sights squarely primed at the South African market. 

Allan Luo
Michael Bratt
Thami Mokoena

While many products were showcased, the highlight of the event was the local unveiling of the TecnoMegabook T1 i5 laptop, which is expected to launch in South Africa in the near future. The laptop runs on Windows 10, features a 14-inch full HD display, an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of SSD storage, and a 55Wh battery lasting up to 10 hours. The laptop also has a fingerprint scanner, a backlit keyboard, and a sleek metal design. Tecno claims the laptop is designed for productivity, entertainment, and gaming, and that it will offer a competitive price point.

The second main product Tecno introduced was the TecnoWatch 2, a smartwatch that can track various health and fitness metrics, such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen, sleep quality, and steps. The watch also has a 1.3-inch touchscreen display, a 210mAh battery that can last up to 10 days, and a water-resistant design. The watch can connect to Tecno smartphones via Bluetooth and can receive notifications, calls, and messages. Tecno says the watch is aimed at young and active consumers who want to monitor their health and stay connected.

The TecnoBuds were the third biggest product unveiled, and for good reason: it is a pair of wireless earbuds said to deliver high quality sound and noise cancellation. The earbuds have a 13mm dynamic driver, a dual-microphone system, and a low-latency mode for gaming. They also have a 40mAh battery lasting up to 4 hours, and a 400mAh charging case providing an extra 16 hours of playtime. The earbuds can pair with Tecno smartphones automatically and can support voice commands. Tecno says the earbuds are designed for music lovers and gamers who want to enjoy immersive audio and seamless communication.

In addition, Tecno also announced the Tecno Sonic 1 Active, a pair of true wireless earphones catered toward providing a “premium listening experience”. They have an 800mAh battery that can last up to 50 hours, call noise cancellation, fast pairing, and a magnetic tip design for easy switching of ear tips. They also support a smart EQ app that customises the sound profile according to your hearing.

In addition to the products above, Tecno also showcased other innovations that go “beyond the handset”. These include a power bank, a Bluetooth speaker, and even a new personal router. Tecno says these products are part of its strategy to create a comprehensive ecosystem of smart devices to enhance the user experience and provide more value. Tecno also hinted on how it is working on other projects, such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and blockchain, but did not reveal any details.

The Tecno Showcase demonstrates how Tecno is not content with being just a smartphone brand, but rather a technology company offering a variety of products and services to its customers. Tecno’s ambition is to become a global leader in the smart device industry, and to challenge the established players in the market. Whether Tecno can achieve this goal remains to be seen, but it is clear the company is not afraid to try new things and to surprise its audience.

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Junior Editor at Vamers. From Superman to Ironman; Bill Rizer to Sam Fisher and everything in-between, Edward loves it all. He is a Bachelor of Arts student and English Major specialising in Language and Literature. He is an avid writer and casual social networker with a flare for all things tech related.