Vodafone South Africa has launched the Cloud smartphone to help bridge the digital divide in the country. The phone is similar to a thin-client PC, where it can display programs, but the intense processing is done elsewhere.
With this device, customers who have held onto old-style phones can finally move to the country"s 4G network while keeping a familiar form factor. The cloud component of the Cloud phone will allow users to access YouTube, TikTok, X, and Facebook using their data connection.
The Cloud phone is a very low-powered device today. It comes with just 48 MB of RAM and 128 MB of storage. The screen is 2.8 inches, and there is a 1,000 mAh battery. The best thing about the Cloud phone is the price: it costs just R249 (US$13.93; a purchasing price parity conversion puts it closer to US$35).
Commenting on the place of the Cloud phone in the South African market, Davide Tacchino, Managing Executive for Terminals at Vodacom South Africa, said:
"As smartphone penetration continues to rise, with many South Africans now owning a smartphone, the digital divide remains a challenge, among those who still rely on 2G and 3G networks. At Vodacom, we remain committed to bridging the digital divide by providing affordable devices – which explains why we have introduced this cloud-based model to offer lite smartphone benefits to those who traditionally cannot afford them. The cloud phone will also help customers still anchored to 2G phones and not familiar with the touch screen experience, allowing them to appreciate a smooth transition to the data and application world."
Hopefully, the availability of these lite smartphones will increase the number of people who use the internet in the country. According to data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in a 2022 report, only 74.7% of people in South Africa were using the internet, and in recent years, the growth has slowed down.
Source: Vodafone