TCL NxtPaper coming to Africa

The device that wowed CES 2024 is like an e-reader with colour, writes JASON BANNIER.The TCL 40 NxtPaper smartphone has a distinctive screen with the same e-ink feel as an e-reader, however it retains a full-colour display. 

Earlier this month, it received a CES Innovation Honoree Award at the annual Las Vegas, one of the most influential tech events in the world­. The device, along with other new TCL products, is set to arrive in select African countries during 2024.

Ernst Wittmann, regional manager for Southern and East Africa, and global operator account manager for Africa, says: “Think Kindle, but with colour.”

Last week, at a TCL briefing in Johannesburg, I had a brief chance to try out the NxtPaper. The screen has a comfortable and smooth feel to it, far more so than on a typical smartphone. 

TCL says the full-colour, monochrome paper-like visual experience delivered by NxtPaper technology is designed for elevated eye comfort, and reduces harmful blue light by up to 61%. 

“We use our phones 80% more than what we did 5 years ago”, says Wittmann. 

The 40 NxtPaper smartphone will arrive in South Africa in May at a recommended retail price of R3,999. 

It will also launch in Kenya, and Rwanda in 2024.Other products planned to launch in SA for 2024 include:TCL 505 smartphone (R1,999).Vodafone R228T (R899).TCL Linkhub HH512.

Deals for the NxtPaper tablets have not yet been finalised, but TCL is hoping to bring them to more African markets soon, along with the products launching in SA.TCL has long leveraged the Alcatel brand across its product line; however, the company is making a strategic shift by featuring the TCL brand on its upcoming devices in 2024. 

“For the first time, we are focusing on one brand, TCL. Affordability remains a key component for the company, but at the same time, we aim to deliver a great product,” says Wittmann.Notably, TCL designs foldable screen technology, and companies utilising this innovation have struck deals with the pioneer.

In North America, the 8-inch flagship product has not only maintained its No.1 position among operators but has also undergone successful iterations.

In South Africa, TCL’s 7-inch tablet continues to dominate, maintaining its position as the top-performing device in the region. TCL ranks third in the global panel market share for display panels.