KaiOS is a mobile Linux distribution for keypad-based mobile phones. It is designed and optimised for affordable and low-power feature phones, while having access to Internet services through web apps, based on the Gecko engine. KaiOS was originally forked from the former Firefox OS open-source project, and is developed by KaiOS Technologies (Hong Kong) Limited; a company based in Hong Kong, whose largest shareholder is Chinese electronics conglomerate TCL Corporation.
Currently, KaiOS was forked from Android for Gonk, so that device manufacturers and KaiOS themselves don't have to develop separate drivers for every component wanting to interact with the Gecko engine, but it cannot run Android's apps due to the lack of Android Runtime.
Overview and features KaiOS supports modern connectivity technologies like 4G LTE, VoLTE, GPS, and Wi-Fi. KaiOS runs HTML5-based apps, supports over-the-air updates, and has a dedicated app marketplace called KaiStore. Some applications are preinstalled onto the phone, including Facebook and YouTube. , there are 500+ apps in KaiStore.
The mobile operating system is comparatively lightweight on hardware resource usage, and is able to run on devices with just 256 megabytes (MB) of memory.
History
The operating system was first released in 2017, and is developed by KaiOS Technologies Inc., a Hong Kong–based company headed by CEO Sebastien Codeville, with offices in other countries. In June 2018, Google invested US$22 million in the operating system. That same year, India-based telecom operator Reliance Jio also invested $7 million through its sister concern, Reliance Retail for a 16% stake in the company. In May 2019, KaiOS raised an additional $50 million USD from Cathay Innovation, and previous investors Google and TCL Holdings.
In market share study results announced in May 2018, KaiOS beat Apple's iOS for second place in India, while Android dominates with 71%, albeit down by 9%. KaiOS growth is being largely attributed to the popularity of the competitively-priced JioPhone. In Q1 2018, 23 million KaiOS devices were produced.
, KaiOS Technologies has partnered with Mozilla, Airfind, Avenir Telecom (Energizer), Facebook, Google, Bullitt, Doro, HMD Global, Micromax, NXP, Spreadtrum, Qualcomm, Jio, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Orange S.A.
In March 2020, Mozilla and KaiOS Technologies announced a partnership to update KaiOS with a modern version of the Gecko browser engine, and more closely aligned testing infrastructure. This change should give KaiOS four years worth of performance and security improvements and new features, including TLS 1.3, WebAssembly, WebGL 2.0, Progressive Web Apps, new video codecs like WebP, AV1, and modern JavaScript and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) features.
Devices
Devices that are installed with KaiOS include (KaiStore may not be included, if device vendor removed it): Alcatel Go Flip (known as Cingular Flip 2 on AT&T, Alcatel MyFlip on TracFone Wireless) and 3088X Advan Hape Online (Indonesia) in partnership with Indosat Ooredoo. Reliance Jio's JioPhone, F10Q, F101K, F120B, F220B, F211S, F221S, F250Y, F271I, F30C, F41T, F50Y, F61F, F81E, F90M, LF-2401, LF-2402, LF-2403, LF-2403N, all branded as LYF, JioPhone 2, F300B, F310B, JioPhone Lite, F320B, Prima 4G HMD Global's Nokia 8110 4G, 2720 Flip, 800 Tough, 6300 4G, 8000 4G, Nokia 2760 Flip, 2780 Flip, and HMD's Barbie™ Phone (U.S. version).The international version of HMD's Barbie™ Phone runs Series 30+ (based on Mocor RTOS) instead of KaiOS, without internet features. These devices were used a modified user interface called Smart Feature OS (not to be confused with the same name platform based on Mocor OS in Nokia 3310 3G). Energizer Energy E220, E220S, E241, E241S, E242S and Hardcase H241, H242, H280S, E282SC Doro 7050, 7060 Cat B35 Gigaset GL7 Maxcom MK241, MK281 WizPhone WP006, launched in Indonesia in partnership with Google and Alfamart. MTN 3G phone (MTN Smart S 3G) Positivo P70S (Brazil) Multilaser ZAPP (Brazil) Tecno T901 IKU V400 4G I-Plus I4g Lava Captain 11 3G Jazz Digit 4G (Pakistan) Orange Sanza 2, Sanza XL Kitochi 4G Smart Vodacom Smart Kitochi (Vida), Vodacom Smart Kitochi (Azumi) QMobile 4G Plus (Pakistan) GeoPhone T15, T19, T19i (Made in India for Bangladesh) Sigma mobile X-Style S3500 sKai (Ukraine) Ghia KOX1, GK3G, GQWERTY (Mexico) myPhone Up Smart, Up Smart LTE (Poland) Symphony PD1 4G (Bangladesh) BKAV C85 (Vietnam) in partnership with Viettel. This is the only KaiOS device to not feature Wi-Fi support Viettel V6504, V1207 (Vietnam). The Viettel V1207, one of the wireless home phones, runs KaiOS. itel it9200 (China) TCL Flip, Flip 3, Flip Pro and Flip 4. Other devices of TCL Flip series run Android with user interface similar to KaiOS.
All KaiOS devices have T9 keypads, except the Jiophone 2 and Ghia GQWERTY, which have QWERTY keypads.
Release history versionannouncednew featuresFirst device1.0March 2017First KaiOS smart feature flip phone with Gecko 37Alcatel OneTouch Go Flip (OT-4044)2.0July 2017Major core upgrade to Gecko 48 2.5.0November 2017Services and 3rd party appsNokia 8110 4G2.5.1July 2018KaiStore, KaiAccount, and advanced features, WhatsApp (available until 2025)2.5.1.1September 2018Minor system updates 2.5.2December 2018KaiAds and SIMbased cust.Nokia 2720 Flip, Nokia 800 Tough2.5.3July 2019Major service upgrades, location service enhancement 2.5.3.1February 2020Minor system updates, notification enhancement 2.5.3.2May 2020Device Financing Program, Dual SIM LTE support Gigaset GL72.5.4August 2020 LF 1.6 integration, North America requirementNokia 6300 4G, Nokia 8000 4G3.0September 2021Major platform Upgrade, Gecko upgrade from version 48 (2016) to version 84 (December 2020). Older apps require that their developers adapt the apps to this OS version and publish an update to the store. WhatsApp not available anymore for KaiOS v3.Nokia 2760 Flip3.1March 2022Minor system updatesNokia 2780 Flip4.0May 2025Upgrade to Gecko 123 engine, Android 14 base, Qualcomm SM4635 chipset with 5G cellular support.TCL Flip 4
Jailbreak With the release of the Nokia 8110 4G, an active community (colloquially known as Banana Hackers) around both KaiOS and the phone arose and released the first version of a jailbreak. This gave users the ability to use apps outside KaiStore including old Firefox OS apps on KaiOS devices, as well as flashing their devices with community-created ROMs, such as GerdaOS.
Some models can also be rooted, giving the user further control over the device. See also Flip phone T9 (predictive text) References
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