Bridging the Digital Divide: Importance of Feature Phones
In the push for narrowing the digital divide, currently there are 5.48 billion unique mobile phone users, at 68.6% of the world’s population. Within that group, 5.07 billion, or 63.5% are also internet users (We are Social, 2022). A major improvement from a decade ago, this still means over 2½ billion people (out of 7.99 billion) that are outside of both categories. The variety of choice in the smartphone market is wider than ever, with phones at almost every budget possible. The keyword here is almost. Keeping in mind of the statistics above, not all of these are smartphones, let alone flagship ones. With those adding to the remaining global population that are not mobile or internet users, we can see just how many people are yet to cross the digital divide today.
For quite a few in wealthier nations, they can set aside a portion of their income a month to save up for a smartphone. In other cases, phone carriers offer monthly installments for bite-sized payments of a new phone. Although this is a far more realistic approach for majority of consumers, it is important to remember that their income levels relative to cost of living is also something else to take into consideration. For some individuals, the sacrifice necessary to save up for a smartphone is far beyond half a year, or even an annual salary. As a result, we must consider the options that such a specific target market are able to realistically obtain.
Feature phones are still the most realistic entry to the connected world. It stops becoming an issue of how good a processor can be, how much memory can be added on externally, or how many megapixels the camera has. We are talking the back-to-basics, fully baseline level of functionality and ability, and building from there. Although nowhere as capable in graphics, processing speed, or features of smartphones, this is the start of their mobile lives, a world completely unfamiliar to them, and possibly in environments where 4G may be a far-off dream. With these aspects considered, most of what a smartphone provide are unnecessary and unusable in such conditions, in comparison.
However, even these sort of phones would at times require very harsh cost-cutting on the behalf of the potential buyer, or full on temporary sacrifices to even enter this market. With those that have a family to feed, or without income stability unlike that of white-collar workers, one most plan out accordingly on how much they can set aside over time to consider a purchase of a feature phone. Adding to the issues of sufficient infrastructure for reliable and consistent internet connection, the capabilities of these mobile devices must be in the absolute basic and essential form, with no superfluous and unnecessary add-ons that would only take up precious storage space and unable to be fully utilized. Users of this specific market have needs that are relatively easy to provide; reliability, simplicity, and gets the job done. Much of it, in many cases, is with social media, connecting with their friends and family. Hence, when providing a device to be as usable in its specific circumstances and environment, minimal and efficiency is the name of the game here.
It is truly a respectable and monumental effort that both governments and private sectors have put in to be able to get to where we are today with how many people are now connected to the internet, and own a mobile device. However, as things stand, we still have much work to do. And of that, feature phones are still not only the most realistic entry for billions out there, but also the best first step into the vast, unknown digital world for these people. Even if smartphones become the majority of what the global population owns, there is still a massive market out there that will require something that’s more suited for not only their budget, but their digital infrastructure, and specific needs.
At Cloudmosa, we believe in the mission to bridge the digital divide. With our proprietary technology in cloud-based rendering, our goal is to help bring billions more online through our product offerings. To learn more, visit https://www.puffin.com/technology.
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