Safaricom has today announced the launch of a new Android TV streaming box that will be an option to the many android boxes in the market, here is the price and full specifications. The box that will sell for Ksh. 6999.00 will be available on Safaricom’s own eCommerce platform, Masoko.
The release of the new Android TV box comes after the now-famous Safaricom Big Box 2 that has been in the market for a long time.
While speaking to the media, Safaricom’s CEO Peter Ndegwa said, “Our Home Fibre service has been well received as it offers unlimited internet connectivity for the entire family in an affordable, monthly, package. The TV remains central to home entertainment and the lack of a feature to directly stream content from the internet has previously been a challenge for potential Safaricom Home Fibre customers. The Android TV Box now empowers customers to connect any TV to the internet opening up a world of endless entertainment options for the family. ”
By releasing this new device in the market, Safaricom are counting on the number of home fiber customers who have been growing steadily throughout the years.
Safaricom is targeting consumers who may have reliable home internet but lack smart TVs in their homes.
So, what is different from the old Android TV box and why should you even buy it? For starters, unlike its predecessor, it does not have the Safaricom branding and does not support SIM cards. Second, it supports the Netflix app, if you have ever bused the Box box 2, then you know that it did not. Moreover, it does not give you access to free to air TV channels that were one of the selling points of the Big Box 2.
Specifications Of the Safaricom’s New Tv Box
One advantage of this box is that it can be connected to any display, which allows users to access to smart TV features thanks to the box running CERTIFIED Android TV 9.
Here below are the full specifications.
- Android TV OS (9.0)
- Google and Netflix Certified
- 4K (Ultra HD)
- Remote with voice search
- SoC: Amlogic S905X: A quad core ARM Cortex A53
- GPU: Penta Core Mali-450 up to 750MHz +(DFS)
- RAM: 2GB DDR3
- 8GB eMMC Storage
- Bluetooth 4.2
- DRM – Playready, Widevine
- Size(L*W*H) – 100mm*100mm*23.5mm
- Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/b/g/n
- Ports : 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 X TF (MicroSD) card slot, 1 X HDMI 2.0a port, 1 x 10/100 Ethernet (RJ45) port
Basically the new Android Box is an Ematic DV8235 that you can easily find somewhere else. But unlike many of the boxes that are sold in the market, this device comes with more USB ports, a MicroSD slot and 8GB of storage and supports Bluetooth.
As to how consumers are going to receive this new device is not yet know. In the past years, we have seen prices of smart and android TVs drop, hence those that have these kinds of TVs may not need this device.
