Reliance Jio Rolls Out Mobile App WhatsApp On JioPhone: 10 Things To Know

Reliance Jio has introduced mobile app WhatsApp on its 4G feature phone device, JioPhone. The telecom company, which is part of billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate Reliance Industries, had in July this year announced addition of mobile apps such as WhatsApp on the JioPhone platform. Reliance Jio currently offers two devices under the JioPhone platform. While the first model was introduced by the company in August 2017, an upgraded model of the device, called JioPhone 2, was launched this year. Reliance Jio has announced a flash sale of JioPhone 2 on September 12.

Here are 10 things to know about the rollout of WhatsApp on JioPhone:

1. Mobile app WhatsApp is available on the JioPhone app store starting September 10, 2018 and will be rolled out on all JioPhone devices by September 20, 2018, Reliance Retail - a subsidiary of Reliance Industries - said in a statement.

2. The rollout of the application, the company said, comes after "successful completion of the trials".

3. "During this movement of connecting the unconnected, many partners came forward to strengthen the cause. One such partner who has really stood by us from the beginning is Facebook and its ecosystem. The result of one such partnership is out for the world to see today...Jio wants to thank the Facebook and WhatsApp team for making this happen," Reliance Jio Infocomm director Akash Ambani said.

4. WhatsApp built a new version of its private messaging app for JioPhone "to give people a simple, reliable, and secure way to communicate with friends and family", a statement by Reliance Retail said.

5. How to download WhatsApp on JioPhone: The mobile app can be downloaded from the JioPhone app store.

6. JioPhone users can download WhatsApp on both the JioPhone and the JioPhone 2 devices by visiting the app store and clicking on download, the statement added.

7. How to use WhatsApp on JioPhone: The user is required to verify his or her mobile number in order to be able to use WhatsApp.

8. The user will be able to chat one-on-one as well as in groups after verification, the statement noted.

9. Reliance Retail said it has created a special helpline number 1991 to answer queries on JioPhone.

10. Reliance Jio, which started commercial operations in September 2016, has a subscriber base of over 215 million, the statement noted.