In a mobile running gadget (OS) landscape ruled by means of Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS, there is a new rising big name referred to as KaiOS. The secret to its success? It makes the standard characteristic phone ‘clever’ or ‘smart-ish’ (in case you pass by means of The Economist).
With tens of millions of Indians nonetheless the use of characteristic phones, it’s no surprise that this brainchild of San Diego startup KaiOS Technologies is already the second most well liked mobile running gadget in India after Android, capturing over 16% marketplace share. iOS is third with 10% share, as in keeping with an August 2018 analysis by means of tech consulting company Device Atlas.
The new class of handsets powered by means of KaiOS, which has partnered with Reliance Jio, require restricted reminiscence whilst nonetheless offering a wealthy consumer revel in thru services like Google Assistant, Google Maps, YouTube, and Facebook, among others.
Faisal Kawoosa, founder, techARC, credit KaiOS with bringing a few paradigm shift in infotainment in India. “This [the feature phone platform] becomes the primary publicity of mobile users to a virtual environment. It is also serving to the ecosystem add new users to virtual services with out a lot building up to the cost of the instrument,” he stated.
For all of 2018, Counterpoint Research estimates that KaiOS held nearly 21% share of the total handsets shipped. Globally, over 85 million KaiOS-powered devices were shipped worldwide, including the USA, India, and other rising markets.
Data from the similar find out about shows that out of greater than 100 million subscribers Reliance Jio added since its launch, nearly half come from KaiOS-powered 4G Jio phones. In India, the KaiOS-powered JioPhone has its own applications listing - the JioRetailer - which now not best comprises Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, but additionally a range of customized apps like Jio Music, Jio TV, and others.
KaiOS CEO Sebastien Codeville instructed IdealNews that Jio approached the American startup in December 2016, looking for a spouse to lend a hand them increase a brand new 4G characteristic phone that would create a virtual ecosystem in India. “Although the adoption and expansion has been explosive, we believe there’s nonetheless untapped opportunity given that out of one.37 billion Indians, 810 million Indians nonetheless wouldn't have get right of entry to to internet,” Codeville stated.
In its efforts to lend a hand first-time mobile users pass virtual , KaiOS additionally found a spouse in Google, which invested $22 million in KaiOS in a Series A spherical ultimate 12 months.
Interestingly, Google’s Android, especially the lighter version Android Oreo, competes with KaiOS in terms of powering inexpensive smartphones.
Codeville says that for KaiOS, the partnership will lend a hand fast-track development, and has helped carry options like Google Maps, Assistant, and others to the characteristic phone ecosystem. The voice-enabled Assistant is particularly necessary to other people with poor literacy skills.
KaiOS makes cash from in-app purchases, promoting, and other charges charged to partners for backend services. Earlier this 12 months, KaiOS additionally launched KaiAds, its first advertisement software development package, thereby mitigating the low reasonable revenue in keeping with consumer (ARPU) traits of a characteristic phone.
“KaiOS offers an enormous opportunity for the entire mobile industry stakeholders to monetize from the rising consumer base thru services similar to connectivity, applications, content, advertisements, bills, location-based services, among others,” Varun Mishra, research analyst, Counterpoint Research, stated.
Interestingly, JioPhone is the primary instrument working on the KaiOS platform to get WhatsApp get right of entry to, which is, in fact, nonetheless now not to be had in other international markets. In September 2018, JioTelephones started web hosting WhatsApp, thereby addressing users’ greatest grouse with characteristic phones worldwide, and making them an exquisite better half handset for many smartphone users.
Even as KaiOS has managed to woo the largest characteristic phone marketplace on the planet, analysts say the platform’s further achieve and momentum will depend heavily on its talent to carry WhatsApp and other sought-out apps on characteristic phones worldwide- a feat it has already accomplished in India with Jio.
“A focal point moving ahead in India, as well as other regions, is to increase the developer network so they are able to create extra customized content,” Codeville stated, with out going into specifics on how they plan to keep competition like Google at bay.
With tens of millions of Indians nonetheless the use of characteristic phones, it’s no surprise that this brainchild of San Diego startup KaiOS Technologies is already the second most well liked mobile running gadget in India after Android, capturing over 16% marketplace share. iOS is third with 10% share, as in keeping with an August 2018 analysis by means of tech consulting company Device Atlas.
The new class of handsets powered by means of KaiOS, which has partnered with Reliance Jio, require restricted reminiscence whilst nonetheless offering a wealthy consumer revel in thru services like Google Assistant, Google Maps, YouTube, and Facebook, among others.
Faisal Kawoosa, founder, techARC, credit KaiOS with bringing a few paradigm shift in infotainment in India. “This [the feature phone platform] becomes the primary publicity of mobile users to a virtual environment. It is also serving to the ecosystem add new users to virtual services with out a lot building up to the cost of the instrument,” he stated.
For all of 2018, Counterpoint Research estimates that KaiOS held nearly 21% share of the total handsets shipped. Globally, over 85 million KaiOS-powered devices were shipped worldwide, including the USA, India, and other rising markets.
Data from the similar find out about shows that out of greater than 100 million subscribers Reliance Jio added since its launch, nearly half come from KaiOS-powered 4G Jio phones. In India, the KaiOS-powered JioPhone has its own applications listing - the JioRetailer - which now not best comprises Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, but additionally a range of customized apps like Jio Music, Jio TV, and others.
KaiOS CEO Sebastien Codeville instructed IdealNews that Jio approached the American startup in December 2016, looking for a spouse to lend a hand them increase a brand new 4G characteristic phone that would create a virtual ecosystem in India. “Although the adoption and expansion has been explosive, we believe there’s nonetheless untapped opportunity given that out of one.37 billion Indians, 810 million Indians nonetheless wouldn't have get right of entry to to internet,” Codeville stated.
In its efforts to lend a hand first-time mobile users pass virtual , KaiOS additionally found a spouse in Google, which invested $22 million in KaiOS in a Series A spherical ultimate 12 months.
Interestingly, Google’s Android, especially the lighter version Android Oreo, competes with KaiOS in terms of powering inexpensive smartphones.
Codeville says that for KaiOS, the partnership will lend a hand fast-track development, and has helped carry options like Google Maps, Assistant, and others to the characteristic phone ecosystem. The voice-enabled Assistant is particularly necessary to other people with poor literacy skills.
KaiOS makes cash from in-app purchases, promoting, and other charges charged to partners for backend services. Earlier this 12 months, KaiOS additionally launched KaiAds, its first advertisement software development package, thereby mitigating the low reasonable revenue in keeping with consumer (ARPU) traits of a characteristic phone.
“KaiOS offers an enormous opportunity for the entire mobile industry stakeholders to monetize from the rising consumer base thru services similar to connectivity, applications, content, advertisements, bills, location-based services, among others,” Varun Mishra, research analyst, Counterpoint Research, stated.
Interestingly, JioPhone is the primary instrument working on the KaiOS platform to get WhatsApp get right of entry to, which is, in fact, nonetheless now not to be had in other international markets. In September 2018, JioTelephones started web hosting WhatsApp, thereby addressing users’ greatest grouse with characteristic phones worldwide, and making them an exquisite better half handset for many smartphone users.
Even as KaiOS has managed to woo the largest characteristic phone marketplace on the planet, analysts say the platform’s further achieve and momentum will depend heavily on its talent to carry WhatsApp and other sought-out apps on characteristic phones worldwide- a feat it has already accomplished in India with Jio.
“A focal point moving ahead in India, as well as other regions, is to increase the developer network so they are able to create extra customized content,” Codeville stated, with out going into specifics on how they plan to keep competition like Google at bay.
OS that makes 'dumb phones' smart takes on Android, Apple
![OS that makes 'dumb phones' smart takes on Android, Apple]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
April 29, 2019
Rating:
