KaiOS.

KaiOS is a newer OS launched in 2017 based off of Linux targeted towards feature phones. It supports HTML and JavaScript for webapps such as Facebook, YouTube, and even Google Assistant. It’s also notable for being a feature phone OS that can justify 4G LTE.

Just because it’s for feature phones doesn’t mean you can launch it up on a flip phone from 2002. The device you load it on has to have a Qualcoom or Spreatrum SOC and a minimum of 256 MB of RAM.

In India the new KaiOS platform has already overtaken iOS in sales figures and popularity — but is far behind Google. Google made an interesting choice this year though when they invested $22,000,000 into KaiOS. This might seem a bit odd but remember, the enemy of the enemy is your friend. In which case the common enemy is Apple.

One funny thing I found about all the talk about KaiOS has been the Nokia Banana Phone. Otherwise known as the Nokia 8110 4G. It’s based off the Nokia 8110 Matrix which just shows it’s age from a time where Matrix made things cool, 21 years ago. My personal thoughts on the device is that it doesn’t look terrible, if anything tacky. At $90 it isn’t terrible but if practicality is your thing, an Alcatel A30 is about $60-$80 and as my daily driver has served me great, or go for an iPhone 5 or 5C (it too has the Banana color) second hand if you love Apple.

KaiOS isn’t for smart smartphones. It is it’s own different smart. Like Kevin. It’s not for people like you probably are , nor me. You can find KaiOS phones for as little as $20 like the Alcatel GO Flip. It’s for people that don’t need things like Facebook, YouTube and Google Assistant to be just as developed on a phone as the calling feature itself. It could possibly even be a backup for people, since some of these phones can last weeks on standby. Phones that run KaiOS are part of a movement of sorts to bring back minimalism in phones, and also bring newer technology to upcoming economies. India is a huge market, and it hasn’t fully been tapped by companies like Google, Apple and Samsung. That’s backed up by the fact that KaiOS is already more popular in India than iOS. The main market for KaiOS is India and a lot of developing Asian and African countries. 4G in developing countries could be a bit of a stretch but soon it won’t be. KaiOS is ready for the masses.