Safaricom’s Neon Ultra smartphone is not a stranger to us. We reported on its presence in the local market just 2 months ago. However, going forward, the name “Neon” will no longer be synonymous with just Safaricom.
As a result of a joint venture with other industry players that has seen the assembly of devices like the Neon move from overseas to Kenya, the Neon brand is now also open to other mobile network operators. Like Jamii Telecommunications, popularly known as JTL or Faiba, after the branding of its popular internet services.
What you get in the box
With me over the last few days has been the Neon Ultra, one of two smartphones that have heralded the country’s much-hyped move to have smartphones assembled locally both in a bid to increase smartphone penetration as well as (according to government operatives) to ensure Kenyans have access to affordable smartphones.
While the premise of the former goal is very clear and there have been visible signs of progress over the last half-decade when Safaricom has doubled down on efforts to increase the penetration of 4G smartphones in the country, the premise of the latter is still up in the air.
As we highlighted when the two smartphones were relaunched, they are not exactly the type that rings to mind when the word “affordable” is thrown around. Neither are they the only ones in the hyper-competitive sub-Kshs 15,000 smartphone market locally. Last time we checked, the Neon Ultra, like the one in our possession, was going for up to Kshs 11,500. Safaricom has it for Kshs 9,000.
It is with that in mind that I cautiously approached my interaction with the Neon Ultra. It is not the kind of smartphone that we get to interact with daily here at Android Kenya. I mean, not many who read this blog come here to be told about a sluggish 2GB RAM device with a measly 32 gigabytes of storage and a chipset that doesn’t win any accolades. However, it is the kind of smartphone that readers of this blog should be aware of because they can “bless” someone with it. That blessing can come as a recommendation or an outright purchase for someone who fits the profile of those being targeted by such a device: first-time mobile internet users; those upgrading from the so-called dumb phones. Those who just need access to WhatsApp. And some Facebook.
The device’s hardware – features like the camera – is good enough for an ultra-entry-level experience and nothing more. While it runs a barebones version of Android – the Go edition of Android 13 – it has such limited system resources you still have to exercise caution and make sure you’re not burdening it with unnecessary apps and files, if at all it allows you to do so.
The people behind the device know this too well and, as a result, there is no bloat. Facebook Lite is the only third-party app that’s pre-installed. The rest is the usual coterie of Google apps that you’ll find on any Google Play-certified device as well as two standout second-party installations: a shortcut (progressive web app) of Safaricom.com and the main (my) Safaricom app.
As already mentioned, space is scarce on this device and it’s meant for barebones usage so while not bloating the device with unnecessary apps or apps the users may not bother with is always a good thing, that there’s not much more than you can add even if you wanted is such a bummer.
This is a phone to whet your internet appetite and then compel you to upgrade to something else. something a little bit more serious. something more desirable. something more durable.
Still, while that is so, there has been some thought in the design of the whole thing. The plastic build, which is par the course at this price point, is actually well done and the device feels quite at home in your hands. Unlike other Neons, the Ultra is significantly large but designed in such a way that handling it is just fine.
Out of the box, the battery comes separately placed and one has to pop in to the phone, an experience that those upgrading to the device from feature phones are likely to be all too familiar with.
While that is neither here nor there these days, what one needs to know is that, right off the bat, they will need either a Wi-Fi connection or a mobile data bundle to proceed with the device’s initial setup as one can’t proceed without doing so. That is one of the few bummers I have with the device since, given the people it targets, that’s a drawback. Then again, it sets out to bring those same people to the data world so something’s got to give, right?
The Good
- Big display. The 6.5-inch panel is large enough for content consumption, messaging and other applications.
- Feels good in the hand which makes handling a breeze. There’s an included clear case in the box but I was able to use the device without it and never once did I feel the need to include it.
- USB-C. With many corners being cut on low-end entry-level devices, it is refreshing to see that we are never going back to the dark days of microUSB. USB-C all the things! I mean, even the iPhone has USB Type-C these days.
- 4G. We probably take this for granted but just 2 years ago, such a device would be powered by 3G. That the Neon has 4G network access is because this is a deliberate decision that Safaricom took early on to boost its 4G network numbers. And it is bearing fruit. By joining hands with other network operators and bringing the production line to the country, such efforts will only be accelerated if not by the Neon Ultra and its launch sibling the Neon Smarta, then by other devices that roll off the local smartphone assembly line at Athi River.
The Bad
- Sluggish performance. With its kind of internals, this is not a surprise but it is still worth pointing out.
- Inadequate storage. While we have little expectations at this price point, 32GB onboard storage is really on the lowly side of low-end. There’s not much that can be done about the Neon Ultra at this point but the hope is that a future iteration will have at least double the onboard storage. Sure, you can slot in a microSD card but we all know how crucial and precious that internal storage is. A curious question that we were not able to answer since we were using a loaner device from Safaricom that we still needed to pass on to another reviewer after we were done with it: does the Neon Ultra support adoptable storage? That would at least lessen the pain of having to delete apps and files just to strike a balance between the available storage and what’s used up.
- Price. We understand the state of Kenya’s economy but, for such a device to be competitive in the local market, nipping the price point would’ve done wonders to it. Especially for the market segment it targets.
The lowdown
The Neon Ultra is a smartphone that would be an outright recommendation if it cost at least half of what it is going for.
At its Kshs 9,000 – 11,500 price, it becomes hard to recommend it, especially considering its feature set and what we already know you can get in the open market. However, if push comes to shove and you have to get it or get it for someone, getting it from Safaricom, which will have you parting with the short end of the price range quoted above, is better than nothing.
There’s the bummer bit where you will be restricted to just a single SIM but, hey, that’s all you need to access data. Data from the best data network in the country. Data that’s guaranteed to be accessible and work wherever you are in the country, something the other network providers may not exactly be able to promise and offer you.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like the Neon Ultra will break apart any minute. Far from it. It’s just that as soon as you get the hang of everything you can do with a smartphone and a fast data connection, you’ll yearn for something better. and, as soon as you’re able to lay your hands on it, you’ll get that.
Of course, the upside to devices like the Neon Ultra existing is that the more people get on the 4G side of life, the more we are likely to see the pricing and available feature set start to make sense.
