Apple launches iTunes App Store in more African countries.
A few days ago, Apple launched its iTunes App Store in 33 new countries globally that include Nigeria, Tanzania, Algeria and Ghana in Africa. These countries join Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, Tunisia, South Africa, Egypt and Uganda who already have their own versions of Apple’s iTunes App Store in place.
Apple’s iTunes App Store is now available globally in around 123 countries after the new additions. Personally, I have been on an iPhone for the better part of a year and I have been able to download free and paid apps from the Kenyan version of the iTunes App Store. It works just fine and I have to say using it has been a flawless process.
Over 1/4 of Kenya’s population is now online from a population of 40 million. Going forward, it seems, more mobile app stores should come to market in Africa in addition to Google’s Android Market and Nokia’s OVI store. Other late entrants to this space include Samsung’s BADA platform which is slowly but surely deploying “local” mobile apps for the African marketplace. In most of these mobile app stores, one can pay using operator-based billing or credit cards.
Apple’s additional iTunes App Store launches in Africa go to show that there is indeed a healthy level of interest for mobile apps in Africa. Indeed, it can only mean that the uptake of iOS devices is going mainstream, and more consumers are expected to advantage of this trend where mobile apps are concerned. In addition, mobile application developers can reach a wider customer base for their apps on the iOS platform than ever before – in Africa and beyond, leading to higher sales numbers.
2 Comments
We need to have most of the apps available in our stores as well. I would like to use the Kenyan store but sometimes you cannot download some apps and that’s very annoying. Wouldn’t it be possible buy apps through other means like mobile money, which unlike credit cards, everyone can access. If you want to do business in Africa tailor make products for Africa. Oterwise that’s a good improvement.
I guess this is a good thing, I heard most webmasters in US earn a fortune from iTunes reseller/affiliate programs; just wondering when or if this program is available in Kenya since Kenyan content is available at their stores