The use of mobile phones in Africa has increased dramatically. It provides a transformative platform that is reshaping businesses and society.
I came across an interesting article recently about the development of mobile technology by African startups. As we look to the future, a lot of focus is now being placed on smartphones and investing in apps in order to penetrate markets.
We already know the technology sector is the fastest growing and one of the biggest in the world. It is now surpassing the traditionally rich sports and entertainment sectors.
Over the last two years, smartphone connections in Africa have almost doubled but basic phones are still quite prevalent. One-third of Africans now own a mobile phone, while growth in Africa has been more than twice the global average. These statistics have lead me to analyse if our focus is correct.
Views shared by Derrick Kotze, chief executive officer (CEO) of mLab Southern Africa, were quite intriguing. Kotze is also recent partner to South Africa’s Technology Innovation Agency (TIA). He noted that generally it would make more sense to look to the future than the past, and to continue developing for smartphones.
Considering the investment needed to build, penetrate or disrupt a market, I agree with Kotze. The best thing to do is to build for the device and the market size that will be waiting for you six months to a year down the line. Smartphone access in Africa is expanding at a rapid speed. It would be difficult to argue for an investment into old/expiring technology and platforms.
At present the two most common uses of phones are for streaming music and accessing social media platforms. Startups in Africa need to address how to deliver on services that will encourage people to use their mobile phones for more than just that.
We have developed our own mobile app for AutoTrader. So it can be said, that developing apps are more expensive and complex than people think. Generally, South Africans make use of more overseas apps than ones developed at home.
The key is to offer enough real value to customers. It’s that concept that gets funding and investors on board which seemingly app companies are leaving behind.
Kotze also said that Africa is going to leap over a big part of the app economy, as is often the case on the continent with other tech. He predicts that service-based solutions will see a big move from human involvement to sensors and machine data collection. Which ultimately requires behaviour change and limited human intervention.
Africa has great potential with there being much creatives and stories to tell. The tools required to design are becoming cheaper and more accessible. An exciting future filled with African games, animated films, and virtual reality is ahead.
