Google deal puts Africa on cusp of smartphone plant

Those talks include Google itself and Johannesburg-based Vodacom Group Ltd, the South African unit of Vodafone Group Plc, he said. Vodacom would “welcome the opportunity” to offer high-quality devices made in South Africa.PHOTO: COURTESY

A Johannesburg start-up is set to become the first company ever to manufacture smartphones in Africa.

It would be taking advantage of low costs and growing local demand to build handsets, tablets and other devices based on Google Inc’s Android system.