Tecno Mobile, produced by China's Transsion Holdings, has become one of the most popular smartphone brands in Africa, catering to the unique needs of African consumers with innovative technology and user-centered design.
Known as the "King of Africa's mobile phones," Tecno Mobile has been dominating the African market for years.
"Tecno has topped the African smart phone market in recent years, with a market share exceeding 40 percent," Arif Chowdhury, board member at Transsion Holdings, said via video link to a TV program on China Central Television (CCTV) called Dialogue.
Noticing locals' need to use different SIM cards in one device, TECNO launched phones with dual SIM cards in Africa in 2007, the first brand to do so there.
It also quickly pioneered enhanced camera solutions for Africans and the African market.
"Since many Africans have darker skin tones, taking good photos in low light was a common challenge. So we made efforts in improving the photo quality for them. We assembled a team of algorithm experts who studied tens of thousands of photos of Africans to develop a solution. When the lighting is poor, the algorithm will focus more on dark-skinned people and beautify the image, turning out an amazing quality," said Chowdhury.
Tecno has also prioritized long battery life in some of its product models, which help local consumers overcome charging difficulties.
"Some customers have difficulties in charging phones since they don't have power supply. In some cases, people even have to travel long distances to reach a charging station and pay for phone charging services. So we introduced phones with large batteries that can last for 10 to 20 days on standby," he said.
Chinese-made Tecno smartphone gains market dominance in Africa with user-centered approach
UNESCO officials on Wednesday praised China's efforts to promote information accessibility and support people with disabilities during a panel discussion held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
The Panel on Information and Communication Accessibility and Cultural Rights Protection was jointly organized by UNESCO's Information for All Programme (IFAP), the China Foundation for Human Rights Development, and the Communication University of China.
Speaking at the event, Guilherme Canela, director of UNESCO's Division for Digital Inclusion, Policies and Digital Transformation and secretary of IFAP, noted that the discussion took place at a significant moment, as the world will mark the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in December, alongside the 25th anniversary of IFAP.
"We believe that our collaboration will advance our shared work in promoting the full engagement of persons with disabilities," Canela said. He added that such cooperation would also support the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Digital Compact.
Mariya Gabriel, UNESCO assistant director-general for communication and information, commended the Communication University of China's Guangming Cinema initiative, which provides accessible films for people with visual impairments.
She said the project has helped more than 8 million visually impaired people access audiovisual content and has established partnerships with major streaming platforms.
Zheng Peng, a senior administrator at the Communication University of China, said China's outline for the 15th Five-Year Plan highlights the development of assistive technologies and the improvement of accessibility in public facilities, information services and social services.
According to Zheng, the university launched the Guangming Cinema project to produce 104 accessible films annually and has delivered them to 2,244 special education schools across China. In 2020, it also established the Research Institute on Information and Communication Accessibility and has since expanded cooperation with UNESCO in this field.
Qin Liang, deputy secretary-general of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development, said China has continued to improve equal access to public cultural services, promote digital reading programs for people with visual impairments, and upgrade the accessibility of digital platforms.
He noted that China released the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2026-2030) recently. The plan calls for expanding cultural services and products for persons with disabilities, increasing the supply of accessible radio, television and audiovisual programs, and strengthening information accessibility.
Following the panel, the UNESCO headquarters hosted a screening ceremony for an accessible film.
Yang Xinyu, China's ambassador and permanent delegate to UNESCO, said China has continued to promote disability inclusion by improving access to education, employment, public services and cultural life. Accessibility is not simply about providing support, but about creating opportunities -- opportunities to participate, to express oneself and to share in the richness of cultural life, she added.
UNESCO Officials highlight cooperation with China on accessibility
