Millions of feature phones running KaiOS can now download and use WhatsApp

Have a KaiOS-powered “smart feature phone”? WhatsApp is now available for download through the KaiStore.

(Image: KaiOS Technologies.)

(Image: KaiOS Technologies.)

U.S.-based KaiOS Technologies, the creator of the KaiOS operating system for “smart feature phones”, has announced that the official WhatsApp app is now available for download in the KaiStore.

Designed to run on low-cost, resource-constrained handsets with RAM as low as 256MB, KaiOS is currently found on 13 shipping devices, including the Nokia 8110. Over 100 million KaiOS-powered devices have been shipped so far in over 100 countries; and in our region, they’re particularly popular in India and Indonesia.

To be clear, WhatsApp, which already has 1.5 billion users, was first launched on the KaiOS-powered JioPhone in India last September—today’s KaiStore release simply means that non-JioPhone users and those in other countries can now use WhatsApp on their KaiOS phones too.

According to KaiOS Technologies, by third quarter 2019, most smart feature phones running KaiOS would have WhatsApp preloaded upon shipment.

Source: KaiOS Technologies.

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