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Smartphones Becoming Computer of Choice in Developing Countries
An anonymous reader writes "The build-out of 3G networks in developing countries, plus ultra-low prices from the likes of Samsung, will make the smartphone the sole computer of millions of citizens worldwide. And by 2016, 97 percent of smartphones are expected to use touchscreens. Now, don't get me wrong — I carry an iPad and an iPod Touch in my backpack and love touchscreens — but I still like a phone that fits in my pocket. However, I'm going to be in the minority five years from now, when the majority of wireless communicators will be smartphones."
Speaking as someone who spends a lot of time living in Asia, it already is somewhat true. Unlike in US or Europe, people in developing countries, especially Asia, tend to visit webcafes instead of having their own computer. Some do, but it's much more common to go out. You can find these in almost every corner too, they're cheap to use and they have drinks and beer too. This also makes it a bit more social.
People go to webcafes to do everything that needs an actual computer, and otherwise stay connected to internet via smartphones, which are a lot cheaper to use too.
I already probably do half to two thirds of my browsing, email, and related tasks on my smartphone these days. An awful lot of what we do with computers is arguably trivial stuff that doesn't need screen real estate or big computing power.
My laptop is gathering dust!
Three Squirrels
Or just get bigger pockets.
Please direct all bug reports to
In a nutshell there are 3 different ways to handle software distribution. (with some overlap)
1. Anarchy: This way is typically done on Windows. You either use a search engine to type in "$program free download" and follow the first link, or you download the source-code and compile it yourself. This requires the user to be able to evaluate the software themselves. There is no guide. This works perfectly well with competent users, but can lead to large problems with the masses.
2. Dictatorship: You have a pre-made "app-store" which only lists programmes which went through some sort of censorship process. There is typically only one to choose from and typically you have no way to influence the rules or decisions. This is the way it's now typically done on newer smartphones, for example on iOS/Blackberry/WP7/Android. Since you cannot control what code you have running on your system, you have very little control about what your system is doing.
3. Communism: (in the sense of community) You have list of recommended programs which can be easily installed. That list is compiled by a community which you can join if you have proven to be competent or at least ask why they have done a decision in a certain way. If you don't like that decision, you can always go to another community and often even mix 2 for the greatest benefit. Installing software yourself is discouraged but not forbidden. You can always just do that.
The big point why this is so important is that computers are now extensions of your brain. This means the software running on your computer influences how you think.
In Japan a lot of people either don't have a computer at home, or don't have internet access(they usually have a laptop in that case). However the reasons are probably a bit different, the Japanese can obviously afford computers, but since even now most Japanese people don't take work home with them, there really isn't an overwhelming need to have one.
Monstar L
That's truly a shame. Unless it's in addition to a keyboard, of course.
Sent from my PDP-11
If you can see your genitals while wearing jeans, you are doing it wrong.
Learn to love Alaska
Okay, okay, I missed the bit about expanding 3G networks in developing countries.
But it's still Captain Obviousness, and I'm still pissed that I got suckered into wasting my time reading this.
Tragically, it's not as obvious as it might seem to us geeks. In Papua New Guinea there are 55 thousand Facebook subscribers. 50 thousand of them access the Internet exclusively through their phones. But government is so blind to the incipient demand that they actively promote some of the highest Internet prices in the world. Reports like this are quite useful to those of us trying to make people realise that Internet + smart phone actually means something to the development of a nation.
Crumb's Corollary: Never bring a knife to a bun fight.
I love my Android phone. But it is a communications device. It is not a computer.
I think you're a bit off there. At least, for me, its an information device.
It gathers, stores, shows, and send out information. The communication part is just a subset of that.
If I see something funny or interesting, I take a picture or a video of it. If I think of something, I can save the idea in via audio, text and/or drawings. If i'm on a trip, I store all travel documents, with all the needed references on the phone, and it also shows me where I should drive to get there, and remembers where my hotel is. I read books on it, listen to music, watch movies, play games, read the latest news, get weather forecasts, read / create barcodes (nice way of sending data to another device, actually), I have google authenticator on it, Rift authenticator, my calendars, calculator, clock/alarm/timer, public transportation routes, password safe, programming language references....
And then you have communication tasks in addition to that.. Yes, it's a lot of stuff in that small phone, and I do worry what will happen if it get lost / stolen. I have some precautions, but they can be defeated.
It's The Golden Rule: "He who has the gold makes the rules."
Computer is something that does more than entertaining. Smartphone is not a computer unless you run FOLD@home on it when it's charging at night.
It can run all the videos, render 3D, play music and rub your back at the same time at 10GHz, but it still won't be a computer.
Now, a rusty chip in your car that does only one thing: optimizing injection into your carburator - that's a computer.
Heck, the calculator I had in 1983 has more rights to be called a computer than a smartphone.
I do not believe in karma. "Funny"=-6. Do good and forbid evil. Yours, Oft-Offtopic Flamebaiting Troll.
A company you never heard of does web apps for government. In a meeting recently with some folks who administer public health for the disadvantaged, the company was told that increasing numbers of their public assistance clients are using smartphones exclusively for Internet access because a monthly mobile package is cheaper than a laptop / desktop and broadband Internet.
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