A feature phone is a mobile phone that can complete basic functions, but
does not have all of the
capabilities
of a smartphone
.
T
hese
phones
are
usually
created with cost-savings in mind and as a result,
traditionally have
buttons and a smaller display, but
still
often have location capabilities and internet access.
The production and market size of feature phones is growing worldwide,
especially
in emerging economies, thanks in part to the rise of non-traditional operating systems. Device manufacturers that use these operating systems create phones with similar functionality to that of premium-priced smartphones at a fraction of the price. Additionally, as network operators globally are upgrading their infrastructure, feature phone manufacturers are creating devices that can work on these networks, and capture a larger customer base.
Skyhook is a Massachusetts-based broadband company that offers GPS, offline device positioning and related solutions for sectors such as IoT and network.