According to the latest research by Gartner, global smartphone sales recently surpassed that of feature phones for the first time. This scenario is different in South Africa, however, with approximately 32-million feature phones currently still in use in the country – four times that of smartphones.
Speaking at the launch of its new feature phone-friendly mobi site, Kevin Hurwitz, CEO of Wonga.com South Africa said that despite the fact that smartphone penetration is on the rise, brands should not ignore the fact that feature phones still offer the most access to local consumers, and they should continually seek ways to reach customers across all devices and platforms.
Hurwitz adds that brands can often focus their marketing strategies to meet the growth experienced in the smartphone and tablet segment and in doing so fail to leverage the immense potential of South Africa’s feature phone segment.
“As a digital finance company, it is vital that our service is available to all South Africans in need of cash, on the move or otherwise, and we believe that no matter what kind of handset you own, you should be able to benefit from our fast, simple and convenient online service,” says Hurwitz.
He says that the mobi site is designed specifically with feature phones in mind to assist the simple application process and user experience.
“The advancement of mobile technology has allowed for easier access to information for all South Africans, not just those with smartphones and tablets. The secret to tapping into this ever-growing market is to optimise the user interface so that it can be viewed on all devices, as well as ensuring that users don’t incur high data charges by keeping the content simple.”
He says that as mobile devices, and particularly feature phones, become cheaper in South Africa, we can expect a marked increase in feature phone sales.
“This projected growth is likely to fuel an increase in South African internet users thus increasing the potential for targeted marketing activities.”
Testament to this growth, Hurwitz points to latest research by the Digital Media and Marketing Association (DMMA) which revealed that South African Internet users have grown by more than two million in the last 12 months.
“Tailored for their individual needs, feature phones still offer functionality and affordability to many local consumers, With mobile technology evolving daily, there is massive potential to reach consumers via devices such as smartphones and tablets, but disregard the feature phone market at your peril,” concludes Hurwitz.
