Back in September 2016, we saw a new smartphone brand, Fero Mobile, enter the Kenyan market. The company launched different devices all of which were available for less than Ksh 20,000. Since this was a new company, we weren’t sure if it was going to stick around as we have seen companies enter this market only to quietly exit without anyone noticing.
Well, it looks like Fero is going to stick around for a while. The company is back with its first smartphone with an iris scanner. This smartphone is the Fero Iris and was launched in Kenya yesterday and is the cheapest smartphone with an iris scanner that you can get in Kenya as far as I know (I might be wrong on this, please tell me if there is a cheaper one). The Fero Iris is available for Ksh 8,999.
This is the type of technology we see on mid-range and premium devices so it is interesting to see it on this price. My first encounter with a smartphone with an iris canner was when I had the Microsoft Lumia 950 and the experience was good.
Iris scanners are tricky to include in smartphones as some manufacturers such as Tecno have tried but they did not work as expected. The company did this with the Phantom 6 but when we reviewed it, it did not work that well.
An iris scanner is just a security feature that allows users to unlock their devices using their eyes. All they have to do is stare at the iris scanner at the top of the display next to the front facing camera and the phone will be unlocked. This is used in place of a fingerprint scanner.
“This new technology provides unrivaled convenience to users and allows them to interact with their devices even in the extreme conditions, “said Vivek Chaudhary- Head of Fero marketing.
Some of the key specifications of the Fero Iris are as listed below.
Fero Iris Specifications
Display Size: 5.0 inches IPS+ with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels
Chipset: MediaTek MTK 6737
Processor: 1.3GHz Quad Core Processor
RAM: 1 GB
Storage Space: 8 GB expandable to 32GB
OS: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Network: Supports 3G, 4G LTE
Camera: 8MP at the back with a 2MP one in front
Battery: 2500 mAh non removable unit
Partnership with Jumia
With the launch of Fero Iris, the company has partnered with Jumia to reach a bigger audience. The owners of Fero Mobile are the same guys behind Midcom, one of the biggest smartphone distributors in Kenya, but they have decided to go with Jumia as the online store reaches a bigger audience, especially the millennials who want such features but are not ready to spend a lot of money on devices that currently have the said features.
In her remarks, Jumia’s Head of Category – Mobile Phones – Sanaz Abaie said the Kenyan mobile phone market offers a favorable competitive landscape, giving consumers a wide range of choice and an opportunity for brands to innovate even more.
We will try and get a review unit of the Fero iris and test to see what this phone is all about. In the meantime, you can read our review of the Fero Royale X1 using the link below.
Read Now: Fero Royale X1 Review
