MTN is building Ayoba, which it calls "Africa’s first Super App"

Tharaxis

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2003
Messages
560
Er... what... this sounds like the absolute worst idea ever. Why go for an MTN app that encompasses all of that when you can quite literally go:
  • WhatsApp, the de facto chat application where pretty much everyone is
  • The Internet, where every e-commerce site is, and most of these are mobile friendly
  • YouTube, the de facto media/video application where pretty much everyone puts up content
Like I don't understand what the proposed value proposition is there. MTN can do none of these better than the products already available to do those things and having a single monolithic app is a terrible idea.
 

Swa

Honorary Master
Joined
May 4, 2012
Messages
31,217
Er... what... this sounds like the absolute worst idea ever. Why go for an MTN app that encompasses all of that when you can quite literally go:
  • WhatsApp, the de facto chat application where pretty much everyone is
  • The Internet, where every e-commerce site is, and most of these are mobile friendly
  • YouTube, the de facto media/video application where pretty much everyone puts up content
Like I don't understand what the proposed value proposition is there. MTN can do none of these better than the products already available to do those things and having a single monolithic app is a terrible idea.
My guess is zero rate it after making data as expensive as can be so those can't be used.
 

Swa

Honorary Master
Joined
May 4, 2012
Messages
31,217
But not
Black first. Africa first. Black lives matter.
The thing is it's a good idea, in 2010.

As usual Africa missing the boat.
African Union: Desperately needed but 2 decades too late.
An African Currency: A good idea but too late after 2010.
Messaging App: Yes but only before Telegram and Whatsapp became the de facto and Mxit was still operating.
 

jannievanzyl

Telecoms expert
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Jun 14, 2009
Messages
5,270

jannievanzyl

Telecoms expert
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Jun 14, 2009
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Thanks for that Jannie, I genuinely laughed out loud.
:)

Honest question;

Who do you think will crack this in Africa? Someone developing the concept from scratch or someone jumping on the back of someone already doing it for a billion active customers?
 

Lucas Buck

Executive Member
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Jun 20, 2005
Messages
5,631
:)

Honest question;

Who do you think will crack this in Africa? Someone developing the concept from scratch or someone jumping on the back of someone already doing it for a billion active customers?
Someone with a large customer base has a greater chance of succeeding if they can convince their customers that what they have to offer is more convenient than what their customers are currently using.
Working with someone with a proven track record wiil give you more of a chance to succeed. The hope is that someone starting from scratch, comes up with an idea or concept that's revolutionary.
 
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Cactus

Expert Member
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Jan 16, 2015
Messages
1,959
"Super" apps don't work. People want quick responsive apps, not bulky "make me coffee, flush the toilet and do the washing apps"

Do one thing and do it well. There's a reason Discovery didn't merge their Health and Banking apps. It's already massive on its own.

Nothing worse than a slow loading FNB app, because it tries to do everything.
 

Swa

Honorary Master
Joined
May 4, 2012
Messages
31,217
I have a question, what is now being taught that big businesses think they should even try competing with what is already out there and being done well rather than just enabling quick and cheap access to it? I can't remember any such course.
 
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