key trendsin mobile applications bottom of the pyramid ...€¦ · nigeria, south africa and kenya...

Key Trends in Mobile ApplicationsBottom of the Pyramid

June 2010

Restricted - Confidential Information

© GSM Association 2009

All GSMA meetings are conducted in full compliance with the GSMA’s anti-trust compliance policy

Fiona Smith

GSMA Development Fund

June 2010

The GSMA Development Fund

� The GSMA Development Fund works with mobile

operators to accelerate mobile solutions for

people living under $2 per day (BOP)

� Launched in 2006 to catalyse the uptake of GSM

technology for social, economic and


technology for social, economic and

environmental development

� Core part of the GSMA, the operator-led trade

association representing the mobile industry

GSMA Development Fund Programmes

� mServices

– Mobile Money for the Unbanked (MMU) - Financial services

– mAgri

– mHealth

– mLearning

� Green Power for Mobile


� Green Power for Mobile

– Help mobile operators extend network coverage, reduce operating expenditure and minimise environmental impact through the use of renewable energy sources.

� Access

– mWomen

– Rural Access

What makes a great app?

Three criteria that define the success of an app:

� Simplicity

– Ease of use in interface design and product experience

– Clear marketing to customer of the USP of app


� Meeting user needs

– Making sure the needs of the consumer are understood

– Ensuring app delivers what customer expects

� Ubiquity

– Ability to reach wide base of customers on all phone types

– Open architecture and marketplace to customers

Simplicity - Ken Banks, Founder, Kiwanja.net


“Address the simpler challenges - in parallel with our search for

solutions to what we consider to be more complex problems”

Simplicity - Jesse Moore, Signal Point Partners


"The biggest mobile applications will also be the simplest...

Straightforward products that make existing activities easier, faster,

cheaper and/or safer for the customer.”

Meeting User Needs - Eric Cantor, Grameen Foundation


“We need to be more intuitive and user-focused than was the case with the growth of

the web. We have to realize the development of information economies in developing

countries is likely to follow a path much different than what transpired in the US and

UK, and to embrace it rather than ignore it.”

Meeting User Needs - Jonathan Donner, Microsoft Research

"The first app adopted by many people may not be an app "for development", but rather for entertainment, expression, or social networking. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for the development community.

Mobile social software will drive adoption


Mobile social software will drive adoption (and configuration) of data-enabled handsets, will compete for share of user's minds and wallets, will fascinate operators, and will structure users' expectations (and habits) about how to interact online via mobile apps."

Ubiquity – Chris Locke, GSMA Development Fund


“No app will be successful if customers can’t get hold of it. App

marketplaces need to be open and supported by a wide-range of

phones.”

Categories of app platforms

OpenArchitecture

Android Apps

SMSServices


Niche Usage Widespread Usage

Closed Architecture

iPhoneApps

What is a mobile application?

� Software on a mobile device that will allow the device to perform specific tasks that are not directly related to the operation of the device itself.

– Ability to access specific information via a website, make payments and other transactions, play games, send messages

The application might come pre‐installed but is


� The application might come pre‐installed but is typically downloaded via the mobile network from an “app store”

� Tend to be built on proprietary systems, but current trend is for more open systems

� Complex apps make use of IP-data communication facilities of higher‐speed networks on third or fourth generation mobile phone networks.

What are mServices?

� The ability for governments, NGO’s, multi-lateral and international agencies to deliver services and products to the BOP via mobile technology

– Financial Services: mobile payment and banking, wage and social benefit payments, financial literacy, savings and insurance

Health services: medical records management,


– Health services: medical records management, treatment, disease surveillance, medical supply chain management, health education and health worker training and support.

– Learning and education: mobile educational games, classroom support, teacher training, etc.

– Information Services: Farmer information services and help-lines, land and natural resource management, market pricing information, transportation coordination.

Trends of BOP Mobile Services & Applications

2G • SMS

• MMS

• Helplines

IVR

There are many services that can be applied across content areas.For example, a health helpline and an agri helpline are often for the same consumer

Education /

Learn

ing

Govern

ance

Information


2.5, 3G, LTE

• IVR

• Voice messages

• Applications

• Web & data enabled

• Applications

Health

Education /

Learn

ing

Financial

Govern

ance

Agriculture

Examples of Current BOP Mobile Applications

Applications Purpose Category

Tradenet Agricultural pricing information platform Information Services

Souktel SMS job-matching service Information Services

BBC Janala English Lessons via IVR Information Services

Legaline Legal Advice via a helpline Information Services

MPESA Send Money Home Financial Services


MPESA Send Money Home Financial Services

Cell Life Patient monitoring with SMS Data Collection

Datadyne: Episurveyor Mobile data collection Data Collection

m4Girls Multimedia educational content, preloaded on handsets Social Application

Nokia Life Tools Agriculture, health, education information app Social Application

FrontlineSMS Desktop-based SMS messaging Social Networking and Group Sourcing

Ushahidi Web and mobile incidence reporting system Social Networking and Group Sourcing

BOP Application Developers

Grameen Foundation App Lab

Grameen Foundation

Google

MTN Uganda

Launched Jan 2008

Uganda

Promote innovation in the provision of services & information using mobile phones and other ICTs to alleviate poverty in the developing world

Vodafone

China Mobile Limited

SOFTBANK

Verizon

Launched in April 2008

Enables the development of new mobile technologies, applications and services –mainly mobile internet.


Joint Innovation Lab Launched in April 2008

Mobile Innovation Center

Ericsson

Launched in Sept 2008

Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya

Develops mobile applications focusing on meeting the needs of poor and rural populations. E.g. Dynamic Discount, Mobile Survey Tool, Weather Monitoring

InfoDev, Nokia and Finland App Labs

Finland (Min. of Foreign Affairs)

Nokia

infoDev

Launched in Jan 2010

Encourage innovation and competitiveness among SMEs in ICTs and agribusiness sectors in particular in developing world

BOP Mobile Application Innovation

• Users must be consulted early and often to build a useful service / product• Creative approaches yield important insights• Demand exists for affordable information and knowledge

Understand Needs

Develop Applications

• Sustainability and scaling must be part of product design• Iterate rapidly and “fail fast” (role for local developers)• Users must be integrally involved in the process


Build Sustainable Models

Achieve Scale

• Incentives for all elements of ecosystem must be considered• Access to new market segments powerful carrot• Creative business models must be employed

• Mobile operator relationship is crucial• Services must meet clear need in actionable way• “Discoverability and Usability” essential – trusted intermediary• Leverage same content using different interfaces

Thank You

� Eric Cantor, Grameen Application Labs

� Jesse Moore, Signal Point Partners

� Jonathan Donner, Microsoft Research

� Ken Banks, Kiwanja.net

� Chris Locke, GSMA


Extra: Region Statistics


The Growth of Mobile - Africa

� Fastest growing region in the world

� 488 million connections in Q1 2010

� An increase in market penetration from 48% to 73 % by 2012

� Current ARPU €7.11


The Growth of Mobile – Asia Pacific

� 2.2 billion connections in Q1 2010

� 607 million connections in India

� An increase in market penetration from 60% to 81 % by 2012

� ARPU €7.89


key trendsin mobile applications bottom of the pyramid ...€¦ · nigeria, south africa and kenya...

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