Could Developing Countries Invigorate Mobile Web Application Development?

The World Wide Web Foundation’s (Web Foundation) Mobile-Empowered Entrepreneurs in Africa project could be the start of a revitalised world mobile web application development industry. This industry could benefit in the developed world by Africa’s renowned entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm for change.

The Web Foundation’s stated objectives of bringing disadvantaged communities and world leaders together to develop ‘sustainable programs that connect humanity and affect positive change’ are reflected in the experiences of its Board of Directors who support and advise on projects that fulfil these aims. The Mobile-Empowered Entrepreneurs in Africa initiative is designed to encourage the use of mobile and web technologies to provide relevant and useful content to mobile users that could be centred on providing useful health information for example and helping businesses generate income, taxes and more employment opportunities.

An African foray into the world of mobile web application development could bring a whole new insight into the way that the rest of the world thinks about mobile web apps and their use. Africa is a continent with huge challenges surrounding poverty, health, education and employment and the Web Foundation, supported by large corporation sponsorship such as that provided by Vodafone could go some way to helping it solve many of its problems, perceived or real. The beauty of this initiative is that African entrepreneurs may utilise and develop web and mobile technology in ingenious ways with the benefit of unique experience. On a continent where the traditional infrastructure of phone lines and the provision of high quality computer and mobile technology that’s available in the developed world is unattainable, high speed broadband and bandwidth is an eternal problem – therefore mobile web applications and mobile browsing may well be part of a successful future. If this is the case, Africa could be the place that developed countries start looking towards for how best to use this technology when connecting and empower people, either through business or through social functions.

Digital agencies, mobile web application developers and web marketing companies in the developed world should keep their eyes open for what could be Africa’s technological renaissance. Take a look at Mobile Web In Africa Conference 2010 for further information, which amongst its sponsors are mobile and web browser Opera.