27 March 2019

The new ‘smeature’ phones are said to “combine the simplicity of a feature phone with the powerful capabilities on a smartphone”

Rather than forcing people to opt for a feature phone without internet access, or a budget smartphone with limited user experience, mobile users and MNOs in Africa now have a choice.

That’s according to KaiOS which specialises in smart and feature phone operating systems. Following partnerships with MTN, China Mobile and Unisoc, and another with Orange, the company is bringing what’s claimed to be a new category of affordable mobile devices to the continent.

These so-called ‘smart feature phones’ will run KaiOS’ platform and are said to “combine the simplicity of a feature phone with the powerful capabilities of a smartphone”.

The devices can run Google services such as Assistant and Maps, as well as popular apps like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. They can also support functionalities like the KaiStore (the first app store for smart feature phones), Bluetooth and GPS. MTN plans to launch devices in Nigeria and South Africa during the first quarter of the year.

Meanwhile, Orange has announced that its first smart feature phone will be 3G followed by a 4G version later this year. As well as the apps mentioned above, Orange customers will also be able to Google Assistant in French, English and Arabic to help overcome language and literacy challenges.

KaiOS says that in Africa more than anywhere else, device affordability is a crucial barrier to moving people from 2G voice and text-capable phones to 3G/4G devices that can access the internet. Citing research from the GSMA, it says the threshold lies at USD34. Below that point, even those in the lowest income groups are said to be capable of upgrading to a data-enabled devices.

But the company goes on to point out that once a user has purchased a phone, there’s still the “cost of ownership” in the form of a monthly data plan that has to be factored in. To reduce data costs, KaiOS says it works closely with MNOs to design new data plans that are priced between a 2G voice and text plan and a full-blown smartphone data plan.

It adds that there are several ways in which it achieves reduction of data costs together with carriers and content providers. For instance, the technology behind its operating system minimises data requirements on both the OS and content side. KaiOS Technologies’ CEO Sebastien Codeville says that despite the availability of a few lower-cost budget smart phones in Africa, figures from the GSMA revealed that in 2017, Eastern Africa had the world’s lowest smartphone adoption level at 25 per cent, compared to the global average of more than 50 per cent.

The GSMA also says that the USD100-200 price for a smartphone is preventing 64 per cent of Africans from upgrading their 2G voice and text-capable phones to 3G/4G devices that can access the internet.