Orange, Itel and KaiOS announce the $28 Sansa XL smart feature phone

At AfricaCom 2019, mobile network operator Orange, device maker Itel, and feature phone OS developer KaiOS Technologies announced a new version of the Sansa smart feature phone with 4G support.

Dubbed the Sansa XL, the device will be available in seven countries across Africa namely Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Jordan, Mali and Senegal, and set to arrive in additional markets come 2020.

But what’s important here is the price. This phone will cost just $28.

For that, users get a 4G-capable handset with a 2.8-inch display, 2MP rear camera, 4GB of internal storage, and up to seven days of battery life.

The Sansa XL will also have access to popular apps like WhatsApp, YouTube, and Google Assistant. A further 200 are also made available through KaiOS.

Understandably, the phone isn’t meant to compete with more powerful Android devices, but rather get affordable 4G-capable handsets into the hands of African citizens.

As South Africa isn’t a market Orange plays in, the phone will not be offered here. However, our smart feature phone landscape has been hotting up recently thanks to Vodacom and MTN. The two telcos have this year both announced smart feature phones available for under R300.

The Sansa XL will be available to purchase from December.

Feature image: Orange