Reliance JioPhone to get WhatsApp support soon

Reliance JioPhone users in India were expected to soon receive support for the messaging application WhatsApp, according to reports in March 2018. The budget-friendly 4G feature phone, which launched in July 2017, runs on KaiOS, a Linux-based operating system designed for feature phones.

While the device had disrupted competitors such as Samsung, Sony, Micromax, and Xiaomi, users had frequently complained about the lack of WhatsApp support on the platform. References to a new native KaiOS application were discovered in a WhatsApp beta version for Windows Phone, indicating that a new platform was being developed to connect with WhatsApp servers, according to a report by WABetaInfo. KaiOS Technologies had previously announced partnerships with technology giants including Facebook, Twitter, and Google. The operating system brings smartphone-like capabilities to affordable devices, including an app store, video calling over 4G, mobile payments via NFC, and dual-SIM support.

Reliance Jio targeted approximately 50 crore Indians who still used basic feature phones without internet access. The JioPhone was offered with a security deposit that is fully refundable after three years. Technical specifications for the device include a 2.4-inch QVGA TFT display, a dual-core Snapdragon 205 processor, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage expandable up to 64GB. The handset also features Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, and NFC capabilities.