The launch of new Apple smartphones isn't expected until the fall, but in Uganda, you can already buy a smartphone that looks like the iPhone 17 Pro.
In reality, of course, it's something completely different - the Tecno Spark 40, a new budget smartphone from Transsion, a company active especially in Africa. The rear camera placement could be considered a coincidence, were it not for the fact that this is one of many Tecno Spark smartphones with this type of camera arrangement, but for the first time, they are positioned in an elongated island spanning the entire width of the smartphone, perfectly matching the changes to the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max visible in pre-release renders.
photo: Tecno
Specification-wise, Tecno Spark 40 is a decent budget smartphone, surpassing the previous Tecno Spark 30 in some respects, but also falling short in a few. Its LCD display is now 6.67-inch and has a more modest resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels, but with a smoother 120Hz refresh rate. The Mediatek Helio G81 processor powering it is more modest, but the 5200 mAh battery with 45W charging is more impressive. A 50 Mpx main camera is used for photography (even the renders show that the other two rear "cameras" are merely decorative...), and on the front is an 8 Mpx selfie camera in a punch-hole design. The smartphone also has an infrared transmitter, stereo speakers with DTS Sound, and IP64 waterproofing.
Tecno Spark 40 is available in Mirage Blue, Veil White, Titanium Grey, and Ink Black, as well as four memory options - 4+128 GB, 6+128 GB, 8+128 GB, and 8+256 GB. The Tecno Spark 40 price in Uganda starts at 47,900 shillings, which translates to approximately €11.40.
