Rwanda just released the first smartphone made entirely in Africa

ekianjo wrote: post #2

They say they don't do just assembly but I guess they don't make their own chips either so what is the difference vs assembly?

They "manufacture the phones from the motherboards to the packaging" ... perhaps the case, motherboard, packaging, but still importing the components, in particular the system-on-a-chip and display? In that case, "made entirely" wouldn't be accurate.

Re: Rwanda just released the first smartphone made entirely in Africa

#5

Post by ainiriand » Thu, Oct 10, 2019, 10:42 AM UTC

ekianjo wrote: post #2

They say they don't do just assembly but I guess they don't make their own chips either so what is the difference vs assembly?

Hardware/electronic design maybe? Often the boards are custom made for each model. But I could be wrong.

Re: Rwanda just released the first smartphone made entirely in Africa

#6

Post by namibj » Thu, Oct 10, 2019, 10:45 AM UTC

Do they have modern semiconductor fabrication capabilities at all?

Re: Rwanda just released the first smartphone made entirely in Africa

#7

Post by holstvoogd » Thu, Oct 10, 2019, 11:08 AM UTC

incompatible wrote: post #4

ekianjo wrote: post #2

They say they don't do just assembly but I guess they don't make their own chips either so what is the difference vs assembly?

They "manufacture the phones from the motherboards to the packaging" ... perhaps the case, motherboard, packaging, but still importing the components, in particular the system-on-a-chip and display? In that case, "made entirely" wouldn't be accurate.

Are there even any producers of low-level components & lcd displays outside China, Taiwan, Korea etc?

Re: Rwanda just released the first smartphone made entirely in Africa

#8

Post by demarq » Thu, Oct 10, 2019, 11:19 AM UTC

ekianjo wrote: post #2

They say they don't do just assembly but I guess they don't make their own chips either so what is the difference vs assembly?

To be honest, I think China is the only country that can fit the strict definition of "entirely" made in".

So I'm happy enough to give credit to rwanda for assembling the motherboard component by component.

Re: Rwanda just released the first smartphone made entirely in Africa

#9

Post by lallysingh » Thu, Oct 10, 2019, 11:26 AM UTC

The phones look good (at least from the parts pictured). I wonder if they can bring a higher price than Chinese competitors with a design advantage.

Re: Rwanda just released the first smartphone made entirely in Africa

#10

Post by ekianjo » Thu, Oct 10, 2019, 11:27 AM UTC

holstvoogd wrote: post #7

incompatible wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They "manufacture the phones from the motherboards to the packaging" ... perhaps the case, motherboard, packaging, but still importing the components, in particular the system-on-a-chip and display? In that case, "made entirely" wouldn't be accurate.

Are there even any producers of low-level components & lcd displays outside China, Taiwan, Korea etc?

Japan, unless it was not implied by your "etc" :)