Blackberry remains a strong brand in South Africa and Nigeria.
MTN, Etisalat, Glo or Airtel requires you to pay a certain amount to allow you to use unlimited BBM for one month. On a Blackberry device, once you subscribe for the BIS or BES package you can also access other apps that require data.
With the company looking to develop its dynamic BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) platform – a move that could attract users away from devices that run Android and iOS – BlackBerry may be able to create an alternate source of revenue that could make up for its plummeting status as a phone maker. In October 2013, BlackBerry launched a BBM app for Android- and iOS-powered devices. Over 20 million users downloaded the app in the first week. “We believe that BBM has the potential to become the number-one messaging client around the globe,” BlackBerry’s managing director for South and Southern Africa, Alexandra Zagur, said at the launch of the BlackBerry z30 in South Africa. One month after launch, according to BGR.com, the app was amongst the top five for download on iOS in 50 countries, including Africa’s biggest markets, South Africa and Nigeria. The messaging app is now available on all major platforms except Windows Phone. But the company faces stiff competition from other instant messaging platforms such as Wechat, Viber and Whatsapp. While these apps are either relatively cheap or entirely cost-free, the BBM app is relatively expensive in comparison and the company could still struggle to regain market share. For instance, in Nigeria, downloading the BBM app on an iOS or Android powered-device is free but you have to pay a certain amount to be able to use unlimited BBM for a month. If you exhaust your data plan on other apps before the month ends, you will have to pay another fee. Typically, a 3-GB plan for a month costs $65 on MTN and Etisalat, $60 on Glo and $90 on Airtel.
As Africa’s economic resurgence continues, ICT will penetrate the continent even further, and with mobile technology increasingly multi-purpose rather than voice-centric, young Africans will demand more from their devices. Where things currently stand, BlackBerry’s apparent inability to match the innovations of today’s leading device makers might eventually cost it a precious foothold in the African market. Even sales of a top-range BlackBerry phone like the Z30 compare badly with those of competitors, among them Samsung’s S4, Nokia’s Lumia, the iPhone 5 or even the Tecno Phantom, which has gradually gained acceptance and market share in Nigeria.
While it remains unclear whether BlackBerry will have any luck finding “corporate customers” in Africa or whether Africans follow the global trend away from the ailing device maker, the early success of the BBM app suggests BlackBerry could still represent a viable alternative to the main players. Considering the increasing population and spending power of Africa’s middle class, the possibility of ramping-up phone sales might again be on the cards if BlackBerry makes a few changes to its products and its marketing campaign. Producing emerging-markets specific phones, for example, tailored to suit the particular needs of its customers on the continent –such as longer-lasting batteries to tackle energy challenges – would serve the manufacturer well. (VENTURES AFRICA)
