Feature phones are kind of making a come back into this planet. While most of us are usually hooked up by a smartphone or any smart device, there are people who either can't afford such technology or just don't want to get into the whole mess. Companies like Reliance Jio, Nokia and now Xiaomi have come up with these new feature phones which also support 4G VoLTE so that network is never an issue. Currently, the two best and cheap options are the JioPhone and the Xiaomi Qin AI and here's how they stack up against each other.
Features
As these are feature phones, there is no point digging0 into the specifications as they do not have much to impress there. However, what set these phones apart are the set of features they are able to offer.
To begin with, both the feature phones are 4G VoLTE enabled which means you can get fast and reliable data connections along with voice over LTE which delivers a much better-calling experience. JioPhone users can take complete advantage of the 4G network as they can make video calls using the front camera. Sadly, the Xiaomi Qin AI users cannot make video calls or even take any pictures as the latter phone lacks any cameras.
AI features are where the Xiaomi Qin AI gets an edge. The feature phone comes with AI voice features for real-time voice translation in 17 different languages. The JioPhone isn't far behind as it also comes with a voice assistant.
The OS
Unlike the old feature phones which ran on Java or Symbian, the new JioPhone and Xiaomi Qin AI run on KaiOS and Android respectively. The KaiOS also runs on feature phones like the Nokia 8810. The KaiOS has its own store from where users can download a bunch of applications. Android, on the other hand, has a wide range of apps available. However, the Xiaomi Qin AI would not be able to get all the Android apps.
Price and Availability
The major differences between these two phones are the price and availability. The JioPhone is available for free of cost (effectively) in India. The Xiaomi Qin AI, on the other hand, is priced at CNY 199 which roughly converts to Rs. 1,998. The latter phone will be available in China starting September 15 and we don't know whether it will make its way to India or not.
