Earlier today, Huawei unveiled its latest smartphone to the Kenyan market. This new phone, the Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 is currently available on pre-order through Jumia for Ksh 24,990. Those who pre-order the phone stand a chance of getting gift hampers worth Ksh 8,000 from the company.
I had a short conversation with Huawei’s Head of Eastern Africa Mobile, Stephen Li to talk about the Huawei Y9 2019 and the company’s plans for the country.
Giving Customers More
I started by asking Mr. Li about the Huawei Y9 2019 and how it fits in the company’s portfolio. He said that the phone gives customers more value as that is what they have requested. This is evident when you look at its key specifications. Some of the specifications that Mr. Li pointed out include the 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage space that come standard on this phone. This is kind of a big deal as the bigger RAM means that you are able to do more and the 6GB of space means that you can store a lot on your phone without the need of having a microSD card. Speaking of microSD card, the Y9 2019 comes with a dedicated SIM slot that can hold a 400GB card.
The big battery is another feature that makes this phone stand out according to Stephen Li. The phone comes with a 4000mAh battery that is really good. I have been using this phone for a couple of days and the battery is something else. I don’t even have to worry about charging the phone as it lasts longer than most other smartphones I have used. I don’t know about you guys but for me the battery capacity of a smartphone is important as I am not a fan of plugging in my phone to charge in the middle of the day to charge it.
Four AI Cameras
The cameras on the Huawei Y9 2019 also make it stand out according to Stephen Li. The phone comes with 4 cameras, two in front and two at the back. At the back we do have a 13MP and 2MP combination and at the front we have the 16MP and 2MP combination. Mr Li said that having these four cameras is just a way for the company to meet consumer requests and needs.
I have used the cameras on the Huawei Y9 2019 and so far I am impressed, the photos I have taken are worth all the hype. I will talk more about this in my full review of this phone.
Y Series for Young People
The Huawei Y9 2019 is not the first Y series, we have already seen the Huawei Y5 and Huawei Y7 2018 smartphones that the company unveiled earlier this year. Mr. Li said that these devices in the Y series are meant for market such as Kenya and are specifically made for youth. These are the customers who are constantly on their smartphones and want a device that can handle this.
In comparing the three Y series devices available in Kenya, Stephen Li said that the Y9 2019 has better performance compared to the other two. He also said that the upgraded specifications of the Y9 2019 also make it stand out. Some of these upgraded specs include the bigger battery, RAM and the cameras.
Focus on Consumer Experience not Number of Devices Sold
I wanted to know how many devices (Y9 2019) the company hopes to sell in the country this year but Stephen Li said that Huawei isn’t just focusing on the quantity. The company is more interested in the consumer experience and that those who want to see the device can find it with retailers around the country. He says that, if the customer experience is good, they can sell more devices but did not share any numbers right away.
Partnership with Jumia
Huawei Mobile has been partnering with Jumia to launch most of its smartphones in Kenya. The company has been doing this for a while and when I asked Stephen Li about the experience so far, he said that it is good and is working well. He says that a good number of consumers want to buy things online and Huawei sees this as the opportunity to do so.
The company is open to work with other online shops in Kenya in the future as a way to reach a bigger audience.
Mate 20 is Coming to Kenya in December
About the Huawei Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro, Stephen Li said that the company plans to bring this new series in Kenya in December. This will be interesting and I am really looking forward to these devices.
Also Read: The Huawei Y9 2019 Unboxing And First Impressions