Ivory Coast Entrepreneur Creates Smartphone With Voice Commands In 16 Local Languages, Solution For Illiterate Users

Smartphone in Oantai Gading with 16 voice commands in local language. (photo: doc. pixabay)

JAKARTA - An entrepreneur in Ivory Coast has created the country's first locally made smartphone. This creation aims to improve accessibility with voice commands in local languages for users who cannot read and write.

The phone, called the "Open G", went on sale last month in the West African country. The smartphone can understand commands and respond in 16 of the approximately 60 spoken languages on Ivory Coast, including Dioula, Senoufo, and Bété.

The maker, Alain Capo-Chichi, said he wanted to make the phone to help people like his own parents, who are illiterate, by equipping the phone with features such as transferring money and sending messages.

"In Africa, the problem we have is that reading and writing are not accessible to everyone," he said. "People can use their smartphones more easily just by talking to them."

This is a major breakthrough, considering that many mobile phones are more intended and operated with written language. Through this Smartphone, digitization in Ivory Coast is expected to be even better.