Orange announced it's partnering with KaiOS Technologies to launch in 2019 a new category of smart feature phones powered by the KaiOS. The device will come with the Google Assistant in French, English and Arabic to help overcome language and literacy challenges.
The first product to launch will be a 3G smart feature phone, followed by a 4G version later next year. The new phones will allow access to in-demand apps like Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, Google Search and Google Maps and come at an affordable price. This offer will be available in almost every country where the group is present.
Orange announced the plans at AfricaCom, where the French company laid out plans to accelerate its multi-service operator strategy in Africa. This also includes initiatives to encourage e-education and support the startup ecosystem.
Through its African Digital School programme, Orange aims to mobilise its infrastructure, access and expertise to help train young people, especially in digital growth sectors. The first partners of this programme are major French institutions, including the CNED and the University Institutes of Technology, and the startup OpenClassrooms for IT lessons.
In addition, Orange announced a new partnership with the Virtual University of Tunis, a pioneer in online education which has provided digital training to Tunisian students for over a decade. The partnership aims to support access to their courses and training in the African countries within Orange’s footprint. A similar partnership will be signed in December with the Virtual University of Senegal.
