The number of smartphone users in the world has gone up significantly since 2014, and according to a Statista report, it is only expected to grow beyond 6300 million by 2029.
Image from Statista
At the same time, another Statista report states that over 97% of teenagers in the US have access to a smartphone at home. The smartphone market in Africa, in particular, is seeing rapid growth and is expected to grow at a rate of 6.87% between 2024 and 2028. The market is expected to reach $41.1 billion by the end of 2024.
Image from Statista
What does this mean for the metaverse? Time and time again, we’ve heard the phrase, “The metaverse is a mobile-first solution,” yet many startups also often overlook this simple fact.
The most successful startups in the metaverse and blockchain space will be the ones that target the wider audience by providing them with a mobile experience that is both inclusive and immersive. The goal should be to build a metaverse accessible to a mobile-first demographic.
Africarare’s Mobile-driven Metaverse
The direct result of increasing smartphone usage in Africa is increased connectivity of the African people with the world’s economy. At the same time, crypto market revenue in Africa alone is projected to reach a whopping $653 million by 2028.
Africa’s crypto market is also developing at a rapid pace. High activity on the P2P exchanges in this region is directly correlated with this fact. With several blockchain startups popping up in the continent, it’s clear that Africa is rapidly adopting blockchain technology, and its broad audience needs proper representation in the metaverse.
Keeping in view this rare opportunity, Africarare is designing a mobile-friendly Metaverse to target the broader youthful demographics.
Leveraging the power of mixed reality and AI, Africarare is creating a transformative platform to increase the continent’s connectivity with the metaverse and to contribute massively to the overall global ecosystem.
This new metaverse is called Ubuntuland, which brings African creativity and heritage together to deliver a traversable 3D world where people can engage in activities like entertainment, retail, wellness business, and a lot more.
Users can upload their digital assets in the form of an NFT and trade their assets in Africarare’s marketplace. Since it’s a mobile-friendly design, users won’t have to struggle with big, clunky systems to access the metaverse. Instead, they can be a part of it on the go as they carry on with their daily life activities.
Conclusion
The increasing smartphone usage globally, especially in Africa, presents a significant opportunity for the metaverse. Blockchain and metaverse startups must prioritize creating inclusive and immersive mobile experiences to reach a wider audience. It will be crucial for widespread adoption of these new technologies.
Africarare’s Ubuntuland initiative exemplifies this approach by designing a mobile-friendly metaverse tailored to African demographics. With features like NFT integration and a user-friendly interface, Ubuntuland aims to make the metaverse accessible to the broader mobile-first demographic in Africa.
