Eat your hearts out, Siri, Cortana, and Google Now. A new phone in (Ghanaian) town(s) is garnering all the attention according to Emmanuel Quartey:

• The phone pictured above costs about $25, and, believe it or not, is as thick as it looks. And it’s all the rage in Ghana.
• Part of the popularity seems to be that in blackout prone Ghana, the phone can act as a power bank to charge other electronics such as .mp3 players and more upscale phones.
• Its battery also means that the phone can go a week without being charged, meaning that it is an effective backup phone.
• The phone has a built in torch light, further increasing its usefulness during blackouts.
• Despite not having a touchscreen the phone comes with Facebook pre-installed, and is helping to increase internet penetration in Ghana.
• Its distinctive and bulky form factor maybe part of the reason it’s doing so well – people instantly recognize it, helping spread its popularity.

Read more about the phone and the mysteries that surround it, as well as the lessons the phone holds for businesses looking to sell in emerging markets over here.

Source: Quartz