In a relatively short span of time, smartphones and the internet have become a fact of life. But not for everyone and not everywhere. Not yet, at any rate. But this is changing. As The National reported in its Business section last week, an increasing number of smartphones are finding a place in the pockets of low-income earners in the UAE. That's mainly because they have become cheaper than ever before.
This will have one particularly significant consequence. These low-income smartphone-users will have access to mobile internet (wherever and whenever they find free wi-fi at least). This will mean that they can, if they’re minded to, go online and look for basic information on any and everything – swollen gums, say; a late-night pharmacy in the area; a storm approaching their hometown, perhaps in the Philippines; news of family and friends via social media. It’s worth noting that Facebook is popular among all income and linguistic groups. However, the benefits extend far beyond these few examples.
A more open and connected world will mean more growth and more opportunity. In Kenya and Uganda, for example, mobile technology is changing people’s lives because they can use their phones to bank and make money transanctions.
In essence, this is the logic that Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, is working on with his internet.org app project. It’s a public-private partnership and was launched in Zambia last year to provide free access to basic internet services for everyone in that country. Last July, Mr Zuckerberg said the project had helped “three million people access the internet who had no access before.” He wants to extend this to the entire planet, which would give a whole new meaning to the words “world wide web”. In this country, the problem is thecost of mobile internet. But with more smartphones in the hands of people who can’t afford very much, there’s a need to make mobile internet cheaper. Ensuring that everyone has online access is no longer an option. It’s a necessity.