The Internet ecosystem, it bears repeating, is loosely coupled. It takes any number of participants, all aligned, to provide high quality of experience, at affordable prices, for everyone.
A robust local access capability won’t do much good if the access domain is impaired, in terms of its connections to all other relevant application domains. LIkewise, even superior long haul connectivity plus excellent local access, plus connections to all relevant content stores, will not have as much value if end user access prices are too high, if devices are expensive and if desired apps are too costly.
So it is that Google Play recently lowered the minimum purchase price for games sold on Google Play in India, from Rs. 50 to Rs. 10. That’s about 15 U.S. cents
Developers from India and around the world have decided to reprice their apps for Indian users. Now, you can find many of your favourite apps and games starting from only Rs. 10.
One might argue that is precisely the insight Facebook and others had with the Internet.org initiative, which provides access to useful apps without the requirement for buying a mobile data plan, at least for an introductory period.
In the Philippines and elsewhere, for example, high mobile Internet adoption rates occur within the first 30 days of use of Internet.org zero rated apps, Internet.org says.
In the Philippines, mobile Internet adoption doubled within a year, for example. That’s one example of important app providers and mobile service providers partnering to reduce the cost of sampling use of Internet access.
