Zimpapers Logo

Mobile phone usage is growing at an exponential rate in developing countries mainly because of the lowering costs of data, introduction of data bundles, cheap smartphones from overseas markets like China and the general appreciation of the mobile market.

Explosive mobile usage in developing countries over the last decade is what prompted UNICEF to strengthen their programs in some 190 countries.One of UNICEF’s programmes relies on mobile apps to ensure infants are tested for HIV and provide treatment when needed.

Another one collects feedback from communities on access to emergency medication and water sanitation.Econet on the other hand also took advantage of such and introduced the Ecocash mobile app.

CBZ launched one of the greatest banking apps ever to be developed in Zimbabwe. Vodafone launched a mobile banking service, M-PESA, to facilitate users wanting to pay others through SMS. The service is live in Kenya.

Opportunities in developing nations are quite endless. The banking and healthcare sectors are good examples mobile apps have delivered benefits to the underprivileged.

Messaging apps are wildly popular, but games top the earnings but not in developing countries as these tend to lack spending habits. Back in mid-2012, the number of global mobile subscribers stood at more than 5 billion. Among these, over 70 percent belonged to low and middle-income communities.

Unlike developed countries where mobile apps (android) is now everywhere in smart watches, TVs, cars, laptop, tablet, camera, bicycle, kitchen appliances, thermostats etc, in developing countries mobile saturation hasn’t yet hit and is still experiencing double-digit growth e.g. here in Zimbabwe.

As it stands, the main mobile operating system for the developing world will be Android as iPhones’ iOS is inflexible and costly to the ordinary user.This is the time as a business to step into the mobile market and have a mobile app developed for your business.The mobile market in Zimbabwe and Africa is still unexplored.

Let’s not allow other companies to do what Samsung did to Nokia or what Facebook did to myspace and hi5.
Start and lead the competition. As ZIMHOST Web designers, we are currently focusing on developing mobile apps ranging from informative apps, news, music, ecommerce etc.

Mrs Precious Mumbure, one of the web developers at ZIMHOST had this to say about the trending mobile market: “Mobile apps are trending right now in the tech industry and this is being further heightened by falling data prices, cheaper devices, and improved features which are helping propel their growth.”

Most people tend to have their own requirements as to the functionality of their mobile app designs and this is a challenge we embrace because it enhances our knowledge and also propels us to reach higher dimensions in advancing our ICT industry here in Zimbabwe.

As the winner of 14 ICT awards, Zimhost Webdesigners is working towards bridging the technological gap and making Zimbabwe the leading country in the world in the ICT industry.

ZIMHOST is currently offering mobile apps from $100 as it aims to reduce the current exorbitant prices of apps in Zimbabwe.

“The only way to make Zimbabwe lead in this industry is to make the apps affordable to every SME – big or small not leaving out artists, churches, schools and all sorts.

“We are simply adopting the same concept we introduced with Websites from $50 and FREE SMSs back then to lower such services and get everyone online.“Why pay such hefty amounts and disadvantage our progress in technology,” said Mr Pearson Pfavayi, the ZIMHOST senior project manager.

ZIMHOST Webdesigners, 1st Floor, Angwa Hse, Cnr Angwa/ G. Silundika, 0771 111 222, 04 796528, [email protected], www.zimhosts.com