This article only represents the author's own views.

Chinese cellphone maker Shenzhen Transsion Holdings Co. Ltd. (688036.SH) is renowned for its beginnings in Africa, where it dominates the market with its cheap but local-friendly models. Now, the company is starting to spread its wings beyond its traditional stronghold to other developing markets, posing a potential threat to Chinese rivals like Xiaomi (1810.HK) and Oppo.

New data released this month indicate the expansion is yielding some early success. The company became the world’s fourth-largest smartphone vendor during last year’s fourth quarter for the first time after shipping 28.2 million smartphones – up 68.6% year-on-year, according to IDC. That far outpaced all of its other rivals in the top five, and was also well ahead of the overall market’s 8.5% growth.