This Is A North Korean-style Smartphone, Has The Latest Technology And Five Funny Games But Without Internet

North Korean-style smartphones have advanced technology but no internet. (photo: doc. unsplash)

JAKARTA – Smartphones are now almost available in every corner of the world. Even in North Korea, where their supreme leader, Kim Jong-Un, is closely overseeing the launch of some of these unique devices.

Currently, smartphones are available in various brands and technologies, ranging from Phone, Samsung, and Android. Many mobile phones are sold in the market with the addition of many applications and games which are certainly not used to spy on us.

But what are smartphones like in North Korea, an authoritarian country that always monitors the movements of its people?

If you're a fan of smartphones, Angry Birds games, and Kim Jong-Un, there's a smartphone for you.

Yes, North Korea has smartphones made specifically to help the citizens of the “Hermit Kingdom” to stay up-to-date with world developments even if it's not much. Be advised there is no Internet.

However, North Korean smartphones, known as 'touch phones' in the country, can be some of the most exclusive in the world and include some great apps.

The first domestic model, the Arirang 171, was praised by leader Kim Jong-Un for its 'high pixels' and cutting-edge technology.

According to the Danish software developer who smuggled one of the North Korean phones out of the country in 2018, the Arirang phone is packed full of the latest features such as Bluetooth, 3G connectivity, camera, and MicroSD slot.

Christian Budde Jensen, said that despite not having Internet or WiFi access, North Korea's number one smartphone is indeed packed full of games.

But the smartphone is reported to have only five different versions of the classic game Angry Birds, as well as Super Mario and Plants VS Zombies.

Jensen assumed it was a generic Android phone that had North Korea-specific software installed on it. He said he was quite 'impressed' by how 'difficult' it was to use the phone with foreign technology.

"Although I was able to establish a connection with the computer via Bluetooth, I didn't manage to exchange any information," Jensen was quoted as saying by the DailyStar. "When I insert the SIM card, the phone just turns off."

This phone does have the added bonus of a 500MB North Korean propaganda video which takes up about 25% of the phone's 2GB storage capacity.

Since the launch of the Arirang, North Korea has released a number of other handsets. The flagship phone 'Pyongyang' has some of the features expected around the world, such as facial recognition, a better camera, and even an augmented reality feature.

The Pyongyang handset is said to have a feature that even the iPhone doesn't have: a 'punch hole' camera on the front instead of a notch.

Best of all, North Korean smartphones come with an 'encrypted' mode to give you extra privacy for your messages. Although, when this was tested in the West, technicians found it didn't encrypt anything and just added a lock screen.

"It's possible that the purpose of the lockers is to give users false privacy, encouraging freer conversation," Jensen said.

What's more, telephones are booming and popular in North Korea, which is estimated to be owned by 18 percent of their population, or about 6 million people.