Smartphone Use in Kenya On A New Level High From the Latest Findings
The latest report from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) show a new serge in smartphone penetration in the Kenyan market in the first quarter of this year.
The quarterly data reveals that 628,818 feature phones were phased out as smartphone usage increased by 886,884 in the same period. As of March 2024, there were 31.2 million active feature phones, down from 31.8 million in December 2023, marking a 2% decrease.
Simultaneously, the number of smartphones in use rose from 33.6 million to 34.5 million, reflecting a 2.6% increase driven by the growing demand for devices with advanced functionalities, such as internet connectivity.
According to the report by CA, “The total number of mobile phone devices connected to mobile networks was 65.7 million with a penetration rate of 127.5 percent.”
Since overtaking feature phones in the Kenyan market in September last year, smartphones have been leading in penetration. The increase in smartphone adoption is not only due to the demand for internet connectivity but also aggressive marketing strategies by manufacturers, including purchase plans aimed at low-income Kenyans.
Recent events in the country are expected to further boost these numbers in the upcoming quarters as more people seek connectivity.
As reported by Business Daily, active mobile (SIM) subscriptions grew by 1.9%, reaching 68.0 million in March, up from 66.7 million in the December quarter.
