South African companies that do not consider feature phones are missing out, says Kevin Hurwitz, CEO of Wonga.com.
According to Gartner, global smartphone sales have exceeded feature phone sales for the first time. However, the situation in much of the third world, including SA, is very different, says Hurwitz. Approximately 32 million feature phones are still in use in SA, which is four times the number of smartphones.
Although smartphone penetration is also on the rise locally, brands should remember that feature phones still form the broad base of the consumer pyramid and should try to find ways to reach users across all devices and platforms, Hurwitz asserts. Often, he adds, marketing is focused too strongly on meeting the growth in the smartphone and tablet segments of the market, and in so doing, completely fails to leverage the potential of the mass feature phone market.
"As a digital finance company, it is vital that our service is available to all South Africans in need of cash, on the move or otherwise, and we believe that no matter what kind of handset you own, you should be able to benefit from our online service," says Hurwitz.
Mobi sites, he says, should be designed with feature phones in mind, to assist user experience and keep data costs low, while optimising the site for lower Internet speeds and adapting them to fit smaller screens. "The advancement of mobile technology has allowed for easier access to information for all South Africans, not just those with smartphones and tablets. The secret to tapping into this ever-growing market is to optimise the user interface so that it can be viewed on all devices, as well as ensuring that users don't incur high data charges by keeping the content simple."
As mobile devices in general, and feature phones in particular, become cheaper, sales of the latter will continue to increase, Hurwitz predicts. "This projected growth is likely to fuel an increase in South African Internet users, thus increasing the potential for targeted marketing activities." Internet use is already on the rise, according to recent research by the Digital Media and Marketing Association (DMMA), which indicated that more than two million South Africans have become Internet users in the last 12 months.
"Tailored for their individual needs, feature phones still offer functionality and affordability to many local consumers," concludes Hurwitz. "With mobile technology evolving daily, there is massive potential to reach consumers via devices such as smartphones and tablets, but disregard the feature phone market at your peril."
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