JioPhone killer? Did Google just launch a feature phone for under Rs 500? Check mythbuster here

With the launch of JioPhone, Reliance Jio revived the feature phone market. The demand for feature phones has witnessed a massive increase in recent times. Now, various news reports claimed that the tech giant Google has launched a feature phone named Wiz Phone WP006. The phone is said to be the first 4G-feature phone in Indonesia.

The phone is being termed as JioPhone killer, when and if, it gets launched in India. The phone runs the KaiOS operating system, same as the JioPhone.

The news has taken internet by storm. It will be a huge step if the Mountain View giant steps-in in the feature phone market. However, you will be surprised to know that Google has not really launched the phone. If Google has not launched this phone, then what is the connection between the phone and the tech giant?

Before knowing this, you must know these developments which have occurred in the last one year.

Google has invested around $22 million in KaiOS, the feature phone operating system, in June this year. The move had left many people wondering why the tech giant invested in a feature phone OS.

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Coming back to the news. Google has 'introduced' the Wiz Phone WP006 during its 'Google for Indonesia' event on December 4 in Jakarta. You may wonder if Google has not launched it, then why did it introduce the phone?

There are two reasons behind this. First, the phone claimed to be the first 4G feature phone in Indonesia, which runs on the KaiOS operating system that Google has invested a huge amount in. And second, Google has introduced a phone feature. The feature is Google Assistant. Yes, the Wiz Phone WP006 supports Google Assistant, much like the JioPhone.

Or you can understand it like this. Had Google introduced Google Assistant feature on JioPhone, would you have called it a feature phone by Google? No. However, this has happened in the case of the WizPhone.

The phone has been manufactured by WizPhone that has partnered with KaiOS. The phone is 4G enabled and has a 2.4-inch screen, 512MB RAM, 4GB internal storage, 2MP rear camera, VGA front camera, Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8905 chipset and is powered by 1800 mAh battery. The phone has been priced at $7.

However, the phone doesn't support WhatsApp as yet. KaiOS replied to a Twitter user that the company is working towards WhatsApp integration.

"Hey! We are aware of the importance of WhatsApp and are working on adding more apps and features in the near future. Stay tuned!," it said.

Hey! We are aware of the importance of WhatsApp and are working on adding more apps and features in the near future. Stay tuned!

— KaiOS Technologies (@KaiOStech) December 4, 2018

For now, the phone has been launched in Indonesia only.