In technical terms, it would be known as a low-end phone because its features are basic: Send a message, receive a call, and maybe play ‘Snake’ when you have free time on your hands.
No doubt technology has evolved monumentally. Today people are able to do more with their mobiles than that. Smart phone users enjoy buying music online, as well as paying for countless products and services, online banking, reading, taking stunning photos, watching videos and surfing the net. Our phones have basically become an extension of bodies.
However, as popular high-end smartphones may be, the truth is not everyone can afford one. This is where more affordable low-end phones come in. Someone who has chosen to revive them is chief executive officer of Elephonic Mobiles, Kennedy Liswani, who created the D30. This local, budget mobile features Namibian indigenous languages such as Oshikwanyama, Afrikaans, Otjiherero, Rukavango and many others.
According to Liswani, he felt that a wasn’t completely dysfunctional. It may not replace the standard smartphone, but it can act as an addition to your ‘main’ phone. And the languages included were a final addition to the phone.
“I was actually inspired by old people in the village,” he said, stating that not everyone is well-versed in English or tech-savvy, so he felt they deserved communication in their mother-tongues.”
At first, I heard about this product on social media, but I found it necessary to hold the product in my hand and get a feel for it.
Like any other , it’s small enough to disappear in your pocket and convenient to carry around because of how light it is.
The phone functions like any other with a phonebook feature, messaging, call history and surprisingly enough, even WhatsApp.
“WhatsApp was also a last-minute thing,” Liswani confirmed. “I asked my engineers if it was possible and they did whatever they needed to do to make it happen.”
Other features include a one-megapixel camera, a wireless radio and an expandable memory of up to eight gigabytes.
“I was inspired by Steve Jobs. I’m so obsessed with him,” Liswani said with a laugh. “Every Apple product, I would buy. The level at which he operated was that of an entrepreneur. I loved his character, hunger and attention to detail. His innovation truly inspired me.”
One of Liswani’s main goals is for the Katoshe D30 to become one of the most recognised brands in Africa. And the good news is that his team aren’t stopping at katoshes.
“We’ve decided to create a smartphone later this year. Our strategy is to start with low-income users first.”
A few points Liswani asks himself before he comes up with a product is whether it solves a problem and is profitably scalable. He identifies regulatory showstoppers, understands timing and builds a passion for it.
“People spend a lot of time over-planning and overthinking. Start now!” he advised.
Exploring further, the D30 comes with a lot more including games such as Ninja Up, Danger Rush and Nitro Racing, and an FM radio.
A feature I found interesting is flight mode – that is, blocking calls and messages when you’re busy. And if a number is bothering you, it’s possible to blacklist it. The phone also comes with a standard charger and you can use a USB to add music, photos, etc, the way you would with any other phone.
Promising about five hours of talk time and a battery which you can charge within the hour, the battery, D30, is believed to last for 30 days – which is where it gets its name from. Currently, it’s available in four colours.
“The phone is a problem-solver in rural areas. You can charge it once a week. It helps people who don’t always have access to a charging port. Also, for professionals, the phone can be a back up. It’s a mobile for everyone.”
From the point of the idea to the manufacturing of the product, Liswani said that it took about eight months to develop the D30 from an idea to a tangible item. Although the overall design, functionality and operating system was planned in Namibia, it was manufactured abroad.
A source at the Communications Regularity Authority of Namibia said that the correct documents have been submitted and the phone is good to go. “The phone has been type approved,” the source said.
The product will be available within the next few months, so keep a look-out.
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