Hike has today announced its partnership with telecom operator Airtel to install the Total app on Airtel’s smartphones under the “Mera pehla smartphone” initiative. The Hike Total app will now come pre-installed as a default app on all the smartphones launched under Airtel’s “Mera pehla smartphone” initiative.
Hike had introduced the Total app services last month to bring internet services to the millions of Indian smartphone users who still don’t know about the web. The Hike Total app provides services like messaging, news, recharge and more even without an internet connection. Hike is also working on providing data plans to users for as low as Rs. 1.
The Hike Total app is straightforward, it needs the user to login via phone number. It provides all the services like messaging, news, scores, recharge, train info, horoscopes without using the cellular data.
The Airtel’s “Mera pehla smartphone” initiative was launched back in October 2017 which aims to offer low-cost smartphones with 4G to Indians. Airtel has partnered with multiple mobile manufacturers such as Karbonn, Celkon, and Intex.
Kavin Bharto Mittal, Founder and CEO of Hike said, “With ‘Total’ on ‘Mera Pehla Smartphones’, first-time users will find it easy understand and navigate a smartphone. Using data is also simplified and ‘Total’ users can get online with special data packs starting as low as Re 1/-. This is really powerful. We are very clear that to get a billion people online, we need to make the whole process of coming online a lot simpler, less intimidating as well as cost-effective and this partnership with Airtel is likely to do that”
