In case you wedded your desk this week that you are unaware that the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 took place in Barcelona, this is for you.
See this and other tech trends that have shaped the local tech scene and beyond.
1. The Mobile World Congress 2017
The Mobile World Congress 2017 took place in Barcelona from the 27th February to the 2nd of March 2017.
The mega event gave us a sneak peek view of what we can expect from various smartphone companies in coming months.
Various companies unveiled handsets but there was nothing new really. Just the usual. But all in all, it was good to see some comebacks.
2. The new version of Nokia 3310
The new version of Nokia 3310 officially unveiled at the Mobile World Congress 2017.
This takes us back to the 2000s and a lot of fond memories. The new version comes with a colored screen and is internet-enabled.
It is notably different from the old version but we can all tell that the new version is paying homage to its ancestor.
3.General Motors exits Kenya
General motors after four decades of operation and dominance.
The Detroit-based vehicle manufacturer sold 57.7% of its stake to Isuzu.
The latter is a Japanese vehicle and diesel manufacturer.
4.Safaricom’s new board of directors
Bitange Ndemo and Vivek Badrinath join the Safaricom board of directors effective the 2nd of February 2017.
Ndemo is a notable figure in the ICT industry as he has served as Kenya’s Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Information and Communication between 2005 and 2013.
Currently, he lectures entrepreneurship and research methods at the University of Nairobi.
Vivek Badrinath will be a Vodafone representative on the board. He is currently the CEO of AMAP Region for Vodafone.
5. Mot Z launched by Levono
Lenovo launches Moto Z smartphone into the Kenyan market.
The announcement was made through its subsidiary Motorola Mobility.
The handset comes with a 5.5-inch display with 1440×2560 pixel resolution, Quad-core 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB RAM, Android v6.0 Marshmallow (upgradable to v7.0 Nougat), and 13MP rear camera.
This sounds like an enviable handset but we will just have to wait and see.
6.Fero Mobile launches Fero Iris
Fero Mobile launches Fero Iris smartphone with an iris scanner.
The most outstanding feature has to be the security feature as the scanner allows you to unlock your screen using your eyes. Creepy or impressive? Be the judge.
Other key features are the 5.0-inch display, 1GB RAM, and a 2500mAH battery. The handset is also 4G LTE enabled.
7. Jio and Samsung awarded
Jio and Samsung win the Best Mobile Innovation for Emerging Markets Award.
The two companies receive the award during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017.
Thus those who thought that Samsung was doomed should wake up from their slumber.
8.Huawei P10 becomes the first phone with 4.5LTE capabilities
Huawei P10 becomes the first phone with 4.5LTE capabilities.
That only means that the days of 4G networks are numbered. Let’s not also forget that the race to 5G is on.
Regardless, the consumer is the ultimate beneficiary since this only means better connectivity.
It is alleged that P10 will offer double download speed and a significant connectivity even in areas with weak signals.
9. Uber strike takes a different twist
The ongoing Uber strike took a different turn as striking drivers forced their colleagues to join the strike.
This involved forcing customers out the car.
The strike kicked off some weeks ago as drivers are opposed to the salary structure
The Uber management has promised to address this issue but in the meantime, I guess we will be presented with interesting twists and turns.
10. Youtube TV unveiled
YouTube already claims a massive audience but it seems that the video-sharing website wants more for itself.
The recent launch of YouTube TV proves this.
This platform will offer about 40 TV channels to your smart TV, phone, laptop, and other gadgets.
And there you have it. This essentially sums up key tech trends this week. Do have yourself an awesome weekend.
