California-based developers responsible for the KaiOS, the OS featured on Reliance’s JioPhone, Nokia 8110, TCL and Micromax, have received a $22 million investment from Google. The companies have also reportedly agreed to feature some Google apps and services like Google Assistant and YouTube to be widely available on feature phones powered by the KaiOS.
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Retail has also bought a stake of 16 percent in the company for around $7 million with its newly announced JioPhone 2.
The feature phone operating system KaiOS has risen from the ashes of Mozilla’s Firefox OS. While Google’s Android operating system already rules the smartphone world, KaiOS is slowly emerging as a popular choice for feature phones.
Google and KaiOS have also agreed to work together to make the Google Assistant, Google Maps, YouTube, and Google Search available to KaiOS users.KaiOS CEO, Sebastien Codeville
KaiOS is a web-based OS, designed for developers to use HTML5, Javascript, and CSS for apps and to make it easier for Google to run its apps. The move will ensure that the upcoming feature phones use Google’s services. The mobile devices running KaiOS will offer smart features like 4G network, GPS and WiFi.
More than 40 million KaiOS phones have been shipped so far, according to TechCrunch.
“This funding will help us fast-track development and global deployment of KaiOS-enabled smart feature phones, allowing us to connect the vast population that still cannot access the internet, especially in emerging markets,” said KaiOS CEO Sebastien Codeville.
He added, “We’re excited to work with Google to deliver its services on more mobile devices and having an intelligent voice assistant on an affordable mobile phone is truly revolutionary as it helps overcome some of the limitations a keypad brings.”
The high growth of KaiOS in Indian market is expected to grow in terms of market share in the next few quarters that will contribute to Google’s interest and investment.
With Google apps, KaiOS can really turn into the most preferred cheapest operating system for the next set of feature phone users.
(With inputs from TechCrunch, kaiostech, and TheVerge)
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