Intel-Based YOLO Smartphone Arrives in Africa via Safaricom

Major carrier Safaricom and Intel teamed up to offer customers in Africa the first Android smartphone integrating Intel Inside technology.

Dubbed Yolo, the smartphone will be initially launched in Kenya where Android enthusiasts will be able to purchase it for only Ksh 10,999 off contract, which is about $125 or €95.

It is also worth mentioning that those who grab the Yolo will also receive 500MB of mobile data for free.

According to Intel, the Yolo is based on the latest smartphone platform for emerging markets, which showcased two weeks ago at Consumer Electronic Show (CES) trade fair.

“We're redefining what cost-conscious Kenyans can expect from a smartphone. The Intel-based Yolo smartphone strikes a unique balance between price and performance – we consider it to be a real breakthrough. It's great news that Kenya will be the launch country in Africa for smartphones with Intel Inside and we expect a great reception from our customers,” said Peter Arina, general manager, Safaricom's Consumer Business Unit.

The Yolo comes equipped with an Intel Atom processor Z2420 with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology which is clocked at 1.2 GHz.

It also sports a decent 3.5-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen display, as well as 512MB of RAM and a 1500 mAh Li-Ion battery.

The smartphone also packs a 5-megapixel rear camera, microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 32GB), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HSPA+ connectivity.

Software-wise, the Yolo smartphone will ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system out of the box.

“The new handset extends the benefits of Intel technology to more smartphone users around the world and we believe that Kenyan consumers will welcome the increased functionality and overall value of the device. We look forward to our continued cooperation with Safaricom,” said Aysegul Ildeniz, regional director for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa Region.