There are more than half a million Android apps in the world. The i-Store, which officially garnered over 25 billion downloads in March this year, offers 5.5 million downloads, with more than 170,000 apps tailored for your iOS. If your head isn’t spinning with the variety on offer, I’ll hit you with the fact that around 300,000 apps were uploaded in the last three years. Talk about an industry developing overnight.

An ever-increasing level and availability of mobile hardware and stable operating platforms and development tools have driven this. Given the proliferation of mobile devices worldwide (more than 85 percent of the planet is using them), you might well ask, has South Africa taken advantage of this new outlet for her talent and industry?

App Market

The answer, unfortunately, is mixed. South Africa has had some amazing advantages compared to its peers. Unfortunately, we have a track record of sitting on our laurels. We have managed to drop, or at least fumble, the ball regarding issues like youth development, the creation of sustainable alternative energies, and the development of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure.

So, one might well ask if we will miss the boat on the App boom, too. It’s not that I’m saying we’re completely useless; it’s more a case of failing to seize opportunities. South Africa should, by right, be one of the strongest players on the continent, but let’s look at what we have done with our options. Team Kgsr.

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