KaiOS is the most popular mobile operating system you probably haven’t heard of. Instead of designing software for full-blown smartphones, Hong Kong–based KaiOS Technologies (pronounced ky-O-S) has exceeded 150 million global users by powering what it calls the “smart feature phone.” Far more spartan than iPhones and Samsung Galaxy models, these devices—which sell for as little as $15—run must-have apps such as YouTube, Google Maps, Facebook, and WhatsApp, with more available from the KaiOS app store.
KaiOS’s success in India (where it’s the No. 2 mobile platform after Android), Indonesia, Rwanda, and Nigeria has now piqued the interest of U.S. corporate giants. In 2019, Google participated in the company’s $50 million Series B round (adding to the $22 million it had already invested), and Disney struck a deal to bring its characters to KaiOS phones in the form of games, wallpapers, and e-books. “This is a key strategy for many of the largest companies: reaching the next billion users,” says KaiOS CEO Sebastien Codeville. “Today, the only way to reach them is with KaiOS, because these users cannot afford a smartphone.”
Read more about Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies:
- The world’s 50 most innovative companies of 2020
- The 10 most innovative consumer electronics companies of 2020
- How Snap defied the haters—and keeps reinventing the social media game
- Footprint is proving that sustainability can scale
A version of this article appeared in the March/April 2020 issue of Fast Company magazine.
Recognize your brand's excellence by applying to this year's Brands That Matters Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.
