The social messaging platform, Hike, has announced a new operating system ‘Total’ which will now allow users to use online services without internet. You can chat, read the news, book train tickets, make payments and even transfer money without any internet connection.
But, there’s a catch.
Hike Total will be exclusive to handsets by the OEMs who have partnered with Hike. As of now, it won’t be available on any other handsets.
It will not be available in the Play Store or any other app store. Intex Aqua Lions N1, Aqua Lions T1, Aqua Lions T1-Lite and Karbonn A40 Indian will be among the first few budget smartphones which will come with Total pre-installed. It will only work on SIM cards from Airtel, Aircel and BSNL.
Unlike other messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, the micro-apps on the Hike Total will work without using mobile data.
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How ‘Hike Total’ Works?
Total will use proprietary technology based on USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data). It will use the same protocol to send messages and to use other services without internet.
USSD is a GSM-based technology used to send text messages (SMS) from one device to another. Where Hike messenger works over the Internet, USSD doesn’t require an internet connection to work and instead will rely on this service.
Targeting Entry-Level Smartphones
Intex and Karbonn will integrate the Hike’s services in their lower-priced smartphone models. The OS will come pre-installed on entry-level smartphones from Intex and Karbonn which will be priced between Rs. 3,500/- and Rs. 5,000/-.
Users will get also get customised data packs at cheaper rates from partner telecoms. Hike is also in talks with Lava and Micromax, besides Samsung and other Chinese manufacturers.
On the carrier side, Hike has tied up with Bharti Airtel, Aircel, and BSNL. For now, Total will not be available on Jio as the Voice over LTE network (VoLTE) does not support USSD-based service.
Hike Total & Services
The services in Hike Total will work on a new patented technology called UTTP, an improvised version of USSD, used to check a phone’s serial number, talk time balance or data usage.
Hike is offering Rs. 200/- to every user who has any of the eligible phones. It will be available starting on 1st March. In Total, one can send texts, use Hike Wallet, recharge phone numbers, check horoscopes, get news, live score updates, all without internet or without incurring any extra charges.
Users will get access to these features with a single login, just by using their mobile number. Total is tuned to occupy a small space and will take up just 1MB in the phone’s memory.
Cheaper Mobile Data & UPI
Hike CEO Kavin Mittal pointed out that some people can’t spend Rs. 150 a month on mobile data, so Hike and partner carriers will offer sachet data packs starting from Re 1.
To share pictures or videos, the data packs will begin from Re. 1 with 20 MB of data, so customers can try data without spending too much. Hike is also in talks to add various government services through their Total service.
Hike recently incorporated Unified Payments Interface (UPI) into their platform, which will allow money transfers between bank accounts via mobile phones. Users can also use the Hike Wallet to send and receive money without using the internet.
Total wants to bring a billion users online. It will also solve the high-end device challenge and the need for a simple user interface and is an attempt to establish an environment of open internet in India.