African App Store
You have to admit, the Apple App Store completely revolutionized how people download and install mobile applications on their phones. The 70-30 model also empowered developers allowing them to easily reach a global market, with developers receiving 70% of the sales while Apple kept the other 30%.
Google, Microsoft and Blackberry were quick to follow with their own mobile application market places. However, we still haven't seen hyperlocal app stores, profiling apps created by developers in your own community. All apps get thrown under categories, but not regions.
I believe there is huge opportunity to incorporate geo-location into the market place, celebrating a 'shop local' mentality. Imagine searching for apps based on your location, 'show me apps developed within 100km of me' and allowing you easily contact that developer. This could spur a powerful synergy between developers and local companies looking to hire.
I also believe that region specific app stores, could celebrate locally developed applications. And rather than 30% going to large corporations like Google, Microsoft or Blackberry, that 30% could instead go to the community in which the app was developed. For example, you buy a mobile game created by a Nairobi developer, 70% goes to the developer and 30% goes to support local organizations like Map Kibera or Mathare Valley Group. Costumers would give back to their community, without even knowing it.
Supporting local charities was the original goal behind Apps4Good, social good organization that myself and some friends from Halifax started to give back to the community. Unfortunately the ongoing support and marketing proved a bigger challenge than actually developing the applications. And because Apps4Good is entirely volunteer based, we've struggled to sell the tens of thousands of apps like we had hoped. But the idea is still sound, and I believe there is huge potential to allow consumers to buy products they need, while giving back to their community in the process.
Thoughts? Ideas? I'd love to hear them :)
Google, Microsoft and Blackberry were quick to follow with their own mobile application market places. However, we still haven't seen hyperlocal app stores, profiling apps created by developers in your own community. All apps get thrown under categories, but not regions.
I believe there is huge opportunity to incorporate geo-location into the market place, celebrating a 'shop local' mentality. Imagine searching for apps based on your location, 'show me apps developed within 100km of me' and allowing you easily contact that developer. This could spur a powerful synergy between developers and local companies looking to hire.
I also believe that region specific app stores, could celebrate locally developed applications. And rather than 30% going to large corporations like Google, Microsoft or Blackberry, that 30% could instead go to the community in which the app was developed. For example, you buy a mobile game created by a Nairobi developer, 70% goes to the developer and 30% goes to support local organizations like Map Kibera or Mathare Valley Group. Costumers would give back to their community, without even knowing it.
Supporting local charities was the original goal behind Apps4Good, social good organization that myself and some friends from Halifax started to give back to the community. Unfortunately the ongoing support and marketing proved a bigger challenge than actually developing the applications. And because Apps4Good is entirely volunteer based, we've struggled to sell the tens of thousands of apps like we had hoped. But the idea is still sound, and I believe there is huge potential to allow consumers to buy products they need, while giving back to their community in the process.
Thoughts? Ideas? I'd love to hear them :)
Tags:
mobile,
mobile apps
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