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January 04, 2016

How Google's Data Saver Upgrades Will Impact Emerging Markets

Recently, Google announced an upgrade to their data saver mode for Google Chrome, the company’s web browser. This new feature keeps images from automatically loading on web pages, allowing users to save up to 70 percent of mobile data when browsing the web. Initially launching in India and Indonesia, Google’s new effort to conserve data for mobile users in emerging markets will make a great impact for these areas that face struggles with connectivity.

Why It Will Make An Impact

Many companies in the tech industry are shifting their focus toward emerging markets like Brazil and India, knowing there is an untapped audience craving mobile content. For example, in an effort to break into growth regions, Facebook produced a free tool called Internet.org or Free Basics by Facebook to allow consumers Internet access, minus cost. Though valiant in their efforts, Facebook miss-shot with this campaign by assuming that the biggest issue that emerging markets found with accessing the Internet was cost. Consumers in emerging markets don’t have problems with paying for access – as long as they are afforded payment options and pricing models that fit their needs. Ultimately, Facebook was only able to provide a service that was similar to its already free app, and therefore did not really impact the issue of mobile Internet access as a whole.

Google’s efforts to improve mobile Internet access in emerging markets go beyond what other organizations have done thus far. Where Google’s effort surpasses those of Facebook is that they have identified a real issue – connectivity. Google has taken a step past other initiatives to assess the true problems that inhibit Internet access, and have developed a solution aimed at solving that problem.

Where The Upgrade Is Lacking

Google’s move will likely provide connectivity improvements for mobile and html5 handset users in India and Indonesia, two regions that have struggled with mobile Internet connection. That said penetration of mobile broadband enabled devices is only at 12 percent in India as per the GSMA, meaning that the affected population will actually not be a great majority of the population. While Google did have good intentions to provide a solution to real issues that mobile users face when connecting to the Internet in emerging markets, they have still missed a key component to provide a true solution for connectivity in these regions – localization.

Rather than aim efforts at the entirety of emerging markets as a whole and provide a solution that is based off one subset of mobile devices, companies need to consider specific and specialized efforts for each market. True localization of efforts begins with identifying the activities of users in each market. Companies looking to make an impact need to assess the needs of the specific market, and provide varied solutions based on what those individual needs are. If Google were able address technology peculiarities and implement a device agnostic approach, they would find greater success with the specific connectivity issues consumers in each region race.

Google and other companies who have sights set on providing solutions for connectivity in markets like India and Africa need to remember to localize methods for each region, rather than grouping high growth markets as a whole. Being able to develop or modify mobile services aimed at consumers in each area based on particular handset and connectivity needs is crucial for brands to provide true value for their users and engage the potential of 3 billion consumers.




Edited by Stefania Viscusi


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