KaiOS Technologies and Telkom Kenya have introduced the Kaduda T-Smart, a new KaiOS-enabled smart feature phone
KaiOS Technologies said it also marks the first operator launch in Kenya for KaiOS.
The T-Smart is said to be an important upgrade of Telkom Kenya’s feature phone portfolio. The device aims to help address the growing demand for competitively-priced Internet-enabled devices with affordable data packages.
The phone enables Kenyans to access the Internet via 3G/4G/LTE and Wi-Fi. It has a suer-friendly interface that is optimised for first time Internet users. The phone comes with popular apps such as WhatsApp, YouTube, Google Assistant, Google Maps, and Facebook, and provides access to hundreds of other applications through the KaiStore.
The phone retails at KSh 3,100 (around US$28) and comes with a variety of data packages, including a free daily bundle comprising 100 MB for Internet browsing and 200 MB to access WhatsApp and Facebook.
Steve Okeyo, Telkom Kenya’s managing director for consumer, said, “Entry-level smart-feature devices constitute about 40% of phones sold in Kenya, affirming their acceptance and popularity due to longer-lasting batteries and the ability to pick signal faster in areas that are underserved with regard to connectivity.”
Sebastien Codeville, CEO of KaiOS Technologies, commented, “Less than half of the people in Kenya are going online using their devices and only 20% of them are on social media.
“At KaiOS, we are focused on closing the digital divide by providing affordable smart feature phones along with relevant and useful apps and services for first-time internet users. We are excited to launch in Kenya through this partnership with Telkom Kenya, and, in doing so, opening the doors to the internet for millions of Kenyans.”
The phone features a KaiOS 2.5.3 operating system with 3G, 4G, LTE, Wi-Fi network bandwidth. It has a 2.4” colour display and supports dual SIM card with a battery capacity of 1,900 mAh.
