As technology companies worldwide compete to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their products, Tecno unveiled a new lineup of AI-enhanced devices on Monday, including foldable smartphones, laptops, and smart assistants. The Chinese manufacturer, part of the Transsion group and the largest smartphone seller in Africa, introduced several products: the flagship Phantom V Fold2 5G smartphone, the Camon 30S, and the Megabook T16 laptops.
Among the AI features in these new devices is the Ella AI assistant, built on Google Gemini, which offers capabilities such as recommendations, real-time translation, and text generation, similar to Apple’s Siri. The devices also provide real-time speech-to-text translation during phone calls and face-to-face conversations, AI-powered writing support, and tools for image editing and video production, including subtitle generation.
Peter Shi, Tecno’s brand manager, expressed excitement about the potential of AI, stating, “We are excited about the future of AI and how it can benefit consumers in Africa. Our goal is to make practical AI accessible to all, integrating these technologies into daily life to improve quality of life and simplify everyday tasks.”
The Phantom V Fold2 5G features a 6.42-inch outer screen, a 7.85-inch main screen, a 5750mAh battery, and a 5-lens camera, priced at Ksh.134,999. The V Flip2 is priced at Ksh.81,999, while the Spark 30 Series starts from Ksh.14,499 and the Camon 30S from Ksh.24,999. Tecno noted that prices are subject to change.
In addition to the Megabook T16 and T16 Pro laptops, Tecno also introduced the Pocket Go, a portable handheld gaming device that comes with AR glasses, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The company is also making its foray into robotics with the Dynamic 1 Robotic Dog for home interaction, a mini gaming PC called the Mega Mini Gaming G1, the Megapad 10 tablet, and Sonic 2 Earbuds, which offer up to 50 hours of playtime.
Smartphones remain the primary focus for tech companies looking to incorporate AI, with major players like Apple and Google leading the charge. Google recently announced new AI features for Android devices, which are expected to be rolled out to manufacturers like Tecno and Samsung.
