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Safaricom has applied to offer Insurance, Unit trust and Savings financial products alongside MPESA

Tuvuti Editorial Team
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Safaricom has applied to offer Insurance, Unit trust and Savings financial products alongside MPESA

Safaricom’s MPESA mobile money transfer service is by far the most successful product of its nature in the entire world, the mobile service provider has since earned billions in revenue mitigating diminishing returns in voice and data. But the danger has always been there, several threats to the very existence of the mobile money transfer service have emerged from various corners including regulations that at some point aimed at having the service become independent from Safaricom. And even with an obviously successful environment and a somewhat uncertain future, Safaricom is looking to tap more opportunities from the service by introducing an insurance, unit trust and savings product.

The company has applied to various authorities in the country for necessary approvals to unveil a unit trust, insurance and a savings product as it looks to reap more from MPESA operations. It launched three different products on a beta basis dubbed Bima – for insurance services, Mali – form of mobile savings plan and a unit trust investment product. If in fact these products are unveiled to the public, the telco will have enormous access to lucrative sectors that have been dominated by traditional companies with full of all sorts of opportunities.

According to the reports we currently have, the operator has submitted approval requests to necessary government bodies including the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) to start offering these services on a commercial scale in the country. This development is viewed by many as a way to transition the MPESA service from just sending and receiving money to include services like insurance as well as wealth management.

After experiencing a slower growth in traditional telephony services like data and voice, the telco is shifting focus to maximizing opportunities within MPESA as a strategy for its anticipated future growth. The current market is saturated by different companies offering data and voice services at very competitive rates than what Safaricom is offering. This has made it almost impossible for the company to grow its revenue without heaving depending on MPESA.

According to Safaricom’s Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndegwa, the company is looking to tap into MPESA’s 26.7 million active customers that make transactions amounting to about Ksh. 1.5 trillion every month to push adoption of its upcoming savings, unit trust and insurance products. But the telco is also keen to get approvals first before announcing the new services.

Mali

Mali -Safaricom’s savings product is expected to offer interest rates on deposits of up to Ksh. 70,000 on a pilot basis. The product is already being tested as from December last year. According to industry analytics, the telco is aiming at having a majority of untapped Kenyan on its platform. As an example, 10 percent interest rate is way better than what banks are paying on savings, making it more lucrative for millions of low-income earners in the country.

Unit Trust

We currently do not have sufficient information on the expected unit trust product from the company, although it has indicated it’ll seek partnerships with firms already licensed by the capital markets authority.

Insurance

The mobile service provider is also looking to tap into the lucrative insurance sector by utilizing technology and data analytics to determine consumer behavior and ultimately bring onboard majority of uninsured Kenyans.

Tecno Pova packs a massive 6000mAh battery and a large 6.8-inch panel for gamers

Tuvuti Editorial Team
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Tecno Pova packs a massive 6000mAh battery and a large 6.8-inch panel for gamers

Tecno has over the years gained traction to become a household name here in Kenya for a reason – the brand offers some interesting combination of feature set and price, just enough to woo Kenyans looking for their next smartphone. And while there’s a ton of reasons to place the brand within the entry-level market segment, it’s latest gadget, the Tecno Pova goes further to give gamers a reason, to have it within their shopping list alongside other game-centered devices.

Budget hasn’t always been associated with gaming, the best gaming devices are mostly expensive, due to the fact they’ll mostly have additional hardware for the purpose or have the latest and greatest hardware to handle tasking games. The Tecno Pova which is already official in some countries like India, is aimed at gamers and packs some ingesting features the company believes is enough to handle most android titles.

What is under the hood?

The standout feature on the handset is obviously its massive 6000mAh battery the company believes should last 30 days on a standby mode or 8 days on continuous music playing. This is all from the phone maker’s research and development department and it’ll be interesting to see just how the device performs in real life situation. And if it matters, you should be able to fill-up the battery capacity in no time, thanks to a dual charging IC chip incorporated to achieve 18W flash charge. With just 10 minutes of charging, you should get up to 2.4 hours of talk time or 20hours playing music according to the company.

Under the hood, we get a Helio G80 octa-core processor the company assures can handle any title thrown at it. And from our previous benchmarks, the chipset should be capable in its own respect to run those heavy games like it’s nothing. The phone has some king of intelligent manager that conveniently adjusts the CPU and GPU performance depending on the current task. While you should expect optimal performance when gaming, the device’s resources are well managed under light load to save on battery.

Gaming requires a lot of RAM and adequate internal storage to install those large games and Tecno has gone out of its way to ensure users get the best experience they can. Pova has 128GB internal storage alongside 6GB RAM that should allow fluent multitasking and a smoother gaming experience. To manage heating instances while gaming, the company has deployed a thermal conductive material and 3D multi-layer to aid in heat dissipation and effectively reduce the rise of charging temperature.

Photography hasn’t been left behind either, there’s a quad-camera setup at the rear panel including 13MP primary sensor, 2MP macro sensor, 2MP depth sensor and an AI camera, complemented by a quad led flash. on the front panel, there’s an 8MP selfie snapper, which conveniently utilizes dual LED flash on both of its sides to capture photos in all kinds of environments.

The front panel isn’t much of a treat though, the panel is just large enough at 6.8-inch for users to enjoy gaming, but terribly lacks in resolution at 720 x 1640 pixels. We also don’t get an OLED display that could have pumped those colors to our liking and expect to play games at a lower refresh rate of 60Hz. Most gaming-themed devices coming out now are embracing higher screen refresh rates and it’s disappointing to see Tecno lack behind in this arena. We currently don’t have an official availability date in the country, but will update as soon as possible with pricing.   

Recently announced Huawei Watch Fit goes on preorder in Kenya for Ksh. 11,999

Tuvuti Editorial Team
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Recently announced Huawei Watch Fit goes on preorder in Kenya for Ksh. 11,999

Huawei has announced a week-long preorder period for the recently announced Huawei Watch Fit, with a free umbrella gift for users taking advantage of the period. The Watch Fit has tremendous advantages over regular fitness bands but costs way less than what other smartwatches cost. The watch has become famous with its rectangular design, moving away from a circular design depicted in other smartwatches from Huawei.

The official availability in the country is also credited to the festive season that Huawei is looking to tap into, especially the vast number of shoppers looking for gifts for their loved ones during the season. Recently, the tech giant discounted a number of its products in the country to attract more consumers during the same period.

Huawei Watch Fit will be available for preorder at Ksh. 11,999, which makes it the cheapest of Huawei watches currently available for sale in the country. Other watches from the tech giant include Huawei GT2 Pro going for Ksh. 34,999 and Huawei GT2 for Ksh. 24,999.

According to the Head of Huawei mobile Kenya who was speaking on the preorder Jim Zhujie, the Huawei Watch Fit was perfect for customers looking to gift someone a sport related device. Zhujie confirmed the preorder period, giving users an opportunity to own a sports watch with a stylish large HD rounded rectangular face and a 10-day battery life.

The HUAWEI WATCH FIT packs some interesting features and hardware including keeping track of your health with a (Spo2) – that monitors the amount of oxygen in your blood. It also encourages trying out new forms of exercise through a variety of animated fitness courses and workout modes.

The smartwatch weighs just 34g and comes with a sleek light appearance that matches any outfit. Users can choose from a variety of colors including mint green, sakura pink, and Graphite Black.

Budget-centric Vivo Y12s with a side fingerprint and a 5,000mAh battery unveiled for Ksh. 12,999

Tuvuti Editorial Team
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Budget-centric Vivo Y12s with a side fingerprint and a 5,000mAh battery unveiled for Ksh. 12,999

Vivo continues to beef-up it’s budget portfolio in the country with yet another Y-series device that offers a large 5,000mAh battery and a convenient side-fingerprint scanner. The Y-series have received a commendable reception in Kenya thus far, considering Vivo entered the market a little late in comparison with other market leaders. The latest Vivo Y12s packs a decent number of top features, only found in pricier alternatives such as a now flagship-standard 5,000mAh battery and a conveniently placed side-fingerprint scanner.

The Y12s is the next sequel on the Y-series lineup, following a successful launch of the Y20 in the country. Amongst interesting features is 10W fast charging capability as well as 5W reverse charging, so you can juicy-up other devices on the go. There are a couple of similarities between the Y20 and Y12s models as expected, the Y12s mostly borrowing on the strengths of its predecessor such as a side-fingerprint scanner.

Since the device is budget-centric, a couple of corners had to be cut to maintain an attractive price tag, especially in a country like Kenya that has a majority of the population living below what some would call average lifestyle. We don’t get a quad-camera setup as is with pricier models, but a modest dual setup consisting of a 13MP sensor and a 2MP Bokeh sensor should be more than capable to take those snaps for social platforms. There’s however an 8MP selfie sensor on the front that should take care of those selfies without a problem.

On the front is a 6.51-inch display panel that maxes-out at 1600 x 720 pixels, which is less than FHD but enough for day to day activities. Again, we didn’t expect anything out of the ordinary here like an OLED or higher resolution considering the price tag.

Under the hood is a MdeiaTek Helio P35 chipset with 3GB of system RAM and 32GB internal storage that can be expanded further with a MicroSD card up to 256GB. We also get android 10 based FunTouch OS 11 and the experience shouldn’t lesser than other mid-rangers.

Speaking on the launch, Vivo’s Brand Manager Mr. James Irungu, said the company had aimed at releasing mid-range devices at an affordable price, to lure more buyers in cut-throat competitive market of midrange devices. Irungu further pointed out the model would offer users with unmatched experience while maintaining a competitive price as we enter the festive season.

Vivo Y12s smartphone will be sold exclusively on Jumia Kenya e-commerce platform for a week, starting December 3rd for Ksh. 12,999, before becoming available offline from December 7th for Ksh. 13, 599. Users can choose between phantom black and glacier blue colors.

Samsung is expected to discontinue the Galaxy Note series starting next year

Tuvuti Editorial Team
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Samsung is expected to discontinue the Galaxy Note series starting next year

Rumors are strife on Samsung’s expected plan to drop its flagship line of Galaxy Note series starting next year, according to initial reports we have, the phone maker has seen a sharp drop in demand for the series partly due to the current pandemic. The Galaxy Note series has seen both bright and dark days including the infamous battery explosions that forced the tech giant to recall the Galaxy Note 5 models, setting a major blow to Samsung that lost millions of dollars for the same reason.

Up until now, there have been rumors about the expected shift from the series in the tech world, but a more trusted source – Reuters has finally spoke to three different sources, all confirming the shift. The Note fans were expecting yet another model possibly dubbed the Galaxy Note 21 in the course of next year, but from what we are hearing so far, the Note 20 might be the last model w ever see from the series.

Since the next Note sequel won’t be seeing the light of the day after all, Samsung is opting to focus its attention on equipping the next Galaxy S21 Ultra, which is touted to take over the phablet segment in the Galaxy series. But the S-Pen experience is partly what made the Note series so coveted, and Samsung is planning to make sure that the S21 Ultra model has necessary support for the Pen.

Samsung is also looking to evolve its foldable Galaxy series and the two models will eventually become the sole flagships from the manufacturer. In a twist of events, Samsung is said to include the S-Pen in the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 3, a move that’s seen as targeting part of the Note series fan base. Although we currently do not have an official statement from the phone maker, either to Reuters or any publication, recent developments on what to expected from the next Samsung devices all but show a clear picture of incorporating what used to be Note only territory into other flagships.

Information we are getting from researcher Tom Kang, point to a diminished sale report on the Galaxy Note series, which the researcher expects a drop of about 20 percent, reflecting sales of about 8 million units this year. He said the demand had obviously dropped in the year as more people aren’t looking for new devices, which could well be Samsung’s reasoning on abandoning the series.

How to find your Lipa na MPESA’s operator ID for those using MPESA for business facility

Tuvuti Editorial Team
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How to find your Lipa na MPESA’s operator ID for those using MPESA for business facility

Lipa na MPESA mobile money facility has become a force to reckon with in Kenya, with almost every business establishment adopting the feature to accept transactions from MPESA users. Customers buying items or services from businesses can choose to pay for through Lipa na MPESA facility if the businesses have the facility available as an alternative payment method. But there are several functionalities that these businesses can perform right o their phone if they do have Lipa na MPESA till or Pay Bill number.

But to access some of these features, business owners need to have something they call “Operator ID”, an additional step that Safaricom deployed probably to increase the security on the platform. While other needed requirements such as Till or Pay Bill numbers are pretty straight forward, even your MPESA PIN, most businesses have been confused on how they could get their Operator ID, or if they already have it.

I remember a friend who applied for a short term Till number for personal reasons and was perplexed to find something called “Operator ID” while trying to access some features on the platform. The Operator ID is basically needed when performing most transactions on your MPESA till or Pay bill such as checking account balance, requesting for a statement and so on.

How to get your Till or Pay Bill number’s Operator ID

After doing several unsuccessful rounds on the internet and finally engaging the Safaricom customer care, we found out that an Operator ID is actually something you already have and very easy to get. You are actually supposed to have received an Operator ID while setting up your Lipa na MPESA account via a text message, but just in case you’ve forgotten, the Operator ID is a combination of your name’s initials. So, if your have a name like Safaricom’s CEO Peter Ndegwa, then your Operator ID should be something like “PN”. This applies for personal Till numbers or Pay bill numbers.  

Nairobi set to deploy a digital platform to manage Matatu termini to keep commuters informed

Tuvuti Editorial Team
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Nairobi set to deploy a digital platform to manage Matatu termini to keep commuters informed

The Nairobi city is set to deploy a digital platform that will manage a terminus for commuters travelling to and from the CBD. The platform which is expected to be implemented by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services is aimed at keeping travelers informed when the last mile buses will be at various pickup points. Kenya’s capital is currently operated by numerous public service vehicles that have been blamed for unending traffic snarl-ups, in an effort to decongest the city, only high capacity vehicles will be allowed to enter the CBD.

According to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director of Transport and Public Works Mr. Michael Ochieng’, the new system will keep operators informed so they can make informed decisions. Ochieng’ further says that commuters will have relevant information to plan their businesses within the city, such as what time to leave their offices, when to go home and many others.

Plans have been strife to relocate public service vehicles from the CBD in recent times, but not without hiccups that have prevented the plans to take effect. The development will also offer commuters an option to walk from the CBD for those who may be keen to keep fit, while those preferring to public means, having access to the bus rapid transport vehicles popularly referred to as BRT.

There’s no clear indication as to when matatus will finally be restricted from accessing the CBD, but as plans get underway, it’s only a matter of time. According to the Director of public service vehicles and public works, various stake holders in the matatu industry have been included in the plans and rehearsals on how the new normal would be done.

Safaricom and Jamii Telcom asked to block sites streaming Multichoice’s Premier league content

Tuvuti Editorial Team
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Safaricom and Jamii Telcom asked to block sites streaming Multichoice’s Premier league content

A Kenyan court has asked two major internet service providers in the country – Safaricom and Jamii Telcom to restrict access to any sites that are streaming pirated content from Multichoice. This is seen as a major set back to Kenyans who have relied on sites pirating content from the likes of Dstv which stream premium content including sporting events to users. Multichoice owns a set of channels on the supersport platform that broadcast live sporting events and currently has exclusive rights on some loved events.

In her ruling, Justice Wilfrida Okwany issued temporary orders aimed at various sites that broadcast Multichoice’s content without authorization. The move came as the Pay TV entertainer moved to court seeking orders to have the two internet service providers block sites for copyright infringement. Notably, the ruling is seen to set a precedent in relation to the recently enacted copyright Act 2019 that was aimed at addressing this type of disputes.  

Multichoice was looking to have the two service providers restrict sites from infringing on its copyrighted content – which in this case includes various websites that have been streaming supersport channels without authorization. According to section 35B of the act, an internet service provider is expected to pull down any case of content infringement within 48hrs once it has been reported.

Multichoice has been increasingly facing stiff competition from other Pay TV services or streaming services that in some cases provide more recent content and have availed various ways for customers to access any content on their platforms. The Pay TV provider has therefore been responding accordingly such as releasing its own streaming services as well as unveiling hardware that would access online content as well.

In the suit, Multichoice accuses Safaricom and Jamii Telcom of ignoring the takedown request dated October 29, 2019. This according to the Pay TV service allowed various entities to rebroadcast, re-transmit and replicating its content without authorization, which is unlawful and caused irreparable economic loss.

On their part, Safaricom and Jamii Telcom both denied the accusations and instead argued their role was only to provide internet to clients and therefore cannot dictate what they use it for, or what they are not supposed to use.

In the two firm’s perspective, the Communications Authority of Kenya was well placed to enforce the requests and not them. They proceed to argue that the infringing sites do not belong to them and that orders for barring such websites had since elapsed.

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