TECNO on Monday officially launched its latest series of the Spark brand, TECNO Spark 3 at a ceremony held at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala.
The series comes in two variants: TECNO Spark 3 and TECNO Spark 3 PRO. To augment their performance, the phones have been upgraded with AI tech to optimize camera performance and the apps will be running on the latest operating systems: Android 9.0 Pie and HiOS 5.0, which is developed by TECNO.
Though we’re yet to get the phone for a full review, with a presentation from Hellen Wabukaho, a technical expert at TECNO Mobile Uganda and our own short experience with the phone at the display table, we were able to glean information that can guide you on whether to purchase the phones.
The TECNO Spark 3 comes with a RAM of 2GB and storage space (ROM) of 16GB while the TECNO Spark Pro has a RAM of 2GB and storage space (ROM) of 32GB. The former costs Shs429,000 and the latter Shs489000.
The above prices are in mid-range of most TECNO smartphones in Uganda. It is also a bit surprising that TECNO Spark 2, which has minor features, was launched at a higher price (Shs435,000) in June of last year.
With less than half a million shillings, you’ll acquire a phone with a 6.2-inch HD display, combined with 500 nit brightness and a 19:9 aspect ratio. This is enriched with a resolution of 1500:720 pixels.
In addition to the above, the bezels are way thinner than in Spark 2; the visual thickness of both TECNO Spark 3 and TECNO Spark 3 Pro is 5.75mm and the manufacturer has given this device a screen to body ratio of 87.8% and a composite black glass plate.
Running Android 9.0 Pie and operating on a 2.0GHz quad-core MTK6761 processor, this TECNO series is powered by a 3500mAh removable battery.
When it comes to photography, chances are that you won’t be disappointed, at least for the price of the phone. You’ll find a dual camera (13MP primary + 2MP secondary) on the back while for selfies, you’ll use an 8MP lens. The cameras are powered by Artificial Intelligence to blur the images, enable flashlight adjustment and enhance the shooting of portrait pictures.
Leveraging AI and high configuration technologies, the devices can recognize different skin tones, allow automatic editing of unflattering skin features (acne, freckles, etc.), enable 3D fine-tuning among other tweaks you might need when taking pictures or shooting videos.
Front appearance of the Spark 3. Image credit: Humphrey Mpairwe for Tech Point Magazine.
Surpassing predecessors
Speaking at the launch, Gladys Liu, the marketing manager TECNO Mobile Uganda, said: “Equipped with the latest AI technology, the success of TECNO Spark 3 and TECNO Spark 3 Pro is predicted to surpass that of its predecessors. Spark 3 takes photography to a whole new level as it’s a by-product of a rigorous research of massive human faces.”
Not only does this generation of Tecno smartphone accommodate a TF card that supports 128GB storage, but it also has support for dual Nano-SIM and a dedicated micro SD card slot.
Equipped with smart Voice Assistant, the phones will come in four colors — Midnight Black, Champagne Gold, Bordeaux Red, and Aqua Blue.
Like any other modern phone created for millennials, these devices (TECNO Spark 3 and TECNO Spark 3 Pro) support sensor technology (fingerprint, G-sensor, Ambient light sensor, and proximity sensor) and you can unlock them using AI face unlock.
Warranty
At the launch, TECNO said it had extended the warranty policy on mobile phones from 12+1 months to 24 months, but the policy is applicable only to upcoming phone models like TECNO T454, T351, T372, among others.
According to Liu, the service centers, Calcare, are now available in five major towns of Kampala, Lira, Arua, Mbale, and Mbarara. The phones will be available in all shops that deal with Tecno smartphones in Uganda.
Related:
List of authorised Tecno mobile shops in Uganda
TECNO Spark 3 & TECNO Spark 3 Pro, see specs and price in Uganda
