When the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, amid much fanfare, came out with the IRIS scanner, people were sure that a premium feature like this would definitely make your pocket take a hit. Not if FERO Mobile has any say in it.
The company has a respectable presence in the Middle-Eastern region and targets the youth with their budget-oriented devices. Their latest product, the FERO IRIS is a mere $90 device — it sells in Kenya for Sh 8,999 — that comes loaded with 5-inch display along with 1 GB RAM and is powered by a 2500mAh battery. The catch here? Well, it sports an IRIS scanner that after the Note 7, would grace the front of none other than the Galaxy S8.
There is a 8MP camera at the back coupled with 2MP sensor for selfies ans video chats, and quad-core processor. That’s specs of a sub-$100 device, surely, but the addition of IRIS scanner is a gimmick that FERO looks to make of as a solid selling point.
FERO IRIS will be retailing exclusively at Jumia Online, a local retailer based in Kenya and will be available from March 6, 2017, Monday, onwards.
While various other details are not clear, FERO Technology East Africa Director Vishal Bhargava was quoted saying, “This new technology provides unrivaled convenience to users and allows them to interact with their devices even in the extreme conditions.”
It is launches like these that re-enforce the idea of having an open-sourced Android ecosystem. While the hardware costs obviously need to be incurred by the manufacturer, the presence of an ecosystem like Android is what makes it possible for low budget and at times, even dirt cheap devices to get a footing in the market. We wish FERO mobiles all the very best with their latest endeavor.
