This archive report was first published on 22 July 2019.
On July 22, 2019, Facebook and KaiOS Technologies announced the availability of WhatsApp for download in the KaiStore, on both 512MB and 256MB RAM devices. This move aims to bring private messaging to smart feature phones worldwide, connecting friends and family in a simple, reliable, and secure way.
WhatsApp is a messaging tool used by over 1.5 billion people worldwide, providing a simple, reliable, and secure way to communicate with friends and family. The app offers end-to-end encryption, keeping correspondence private and secure. WhatsApp was first launched on the KaiOS-powered JioPhone in India in September 2018 and is now available for download on millions of new users across Africa, Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and beyond.
“KaiOS has been a critical partner in helping us bring private messaging to smart feature phones around the world,” said Matt Idema, COO of WhatsApp. “Providing WhatsApp on KaiOS helps bridge the digital gap to connect friends and family in a simple, reliable, and secure way.”
Sebastien Codeville, CEO of KaiOS Technologies, added, “We’re thrilled to bring WhatsApp to the KaiOS platform and extend such an important means of communication to a brand new demographic. We strive to make the internet and digital services accessible for everyone, and offering WhatsApp on affordable smart feature phones is a giant leap towards this goal.”
KaiOS-powered smart feature phones are a new category of mobile devices that combine the affordability of a feature phone with the essential features of a smartphone. They meet a growing demand for affordable devices from people living across Africa and other emerging markets who are not currently online. WhatsApp is now available for download from KaiStore, an app store specifically designed for KaiOS-powered devices and home to the world’s most popular apps, including the Google Assistant, YouTube, Facebook, Google Maps, and Twitter.
