From Wamda

International mobile phone manufacturers keep on making the headlines: this one is suing that one over a patent, their competitor is launching a new phone without lateral buttons, another is losing money in Q4.

In Asia, people are also talking about low-cost smartphones, some of which are produced by international manufacturers, others by local brands like MicroMax in India.

In the meantime, in more mature markets, some entrepreneurs are quietly positioning themselves on this new niche; France now has Wiko. Morocco- while not necessarily a more mature market- now has Saphir Concept. They might not have the same budget not the same press coverage, but they have a growing number of customers.

This is understandable. It eliminates the need to buy from a big American, Korean (or Finnish) corporation; Moroccans can now buy Moroccan! Since late May 2013, Saphir Concept, the first Moroccan smartphone manufacturer, has debuted two models: the Asteria, its slightly higher-end phone, and then Lixus, its entry-level product.

Read more at wamda.com