It used to be luxury, then it became a privilege. Now it’s a necessity. Smartphones! The new wonder of the world. In many parts of the world, people use this device for many purposes. One may argue that the use of it depends on one’s need at that particular time. In Ghana however, many people use it daily. Some even use their phones the same number of times they breathe. It has become a part of the Ghanaian lifestyle but there are more functional uses of smartphones than many people know hence they underutilize these devices that they pay so much to acquire. Jumia Travel, Africa’s leading online travel agency ponders below a few functional things Ghanaians use smartphones for.
Social Media – ‘’Have you seen her status?’’, ‘’Nice Dp’’, ‘’Please like my page’’, ‘’kindly follow back’’, ‘’@1Mr_wazza liked your photo’’. These are very common statements we see and say frequently these days. All made possible by the overwhelming takeover of the technological magic called SOCIAL MEDIA. All over the world, people use social media for various reasons and on many different platforms. Ghana is no exception to this. Basically, social media can be used via certain devices either by a computer, tablet or a smartphone. The smartphone has gradually become the most popular with at least 6 out of every 10 Ghanaians owning a smartphone these days. Keeping memories by uploading videos and pictures on Facebook or instagram, tweeting about what you thinking or chatting with your friends while getting to see them live are just a few of the many fun things Ghanaians do with a smartphone. The world has become a global village indeed and those who have families abroad that they haven’t seen in awhile make use of video calling and live chats which make them feel more close than they actually are by distance. On the business end, platforms such as LinkedIn connect you to millions of businessmen and companies worldwide. A great way to network and make some money while having fun. Facebook, twitter and instagram also provides avenues for marketing with social media proving a very important marketing tool these days.
Online Marketing – Online marketing has grown more popular in recent times and although it hasn’t entirely replaced offline marketing, many more people utilize the simplicity and speed of marketing online. It’s tendency to reach millions of people in seconds makes it a very vital tool in today’s marketing world. Here again, apart from computers and tablets, smartphones are the main tools for undertaking such campaigns. In Ghana, this amazing exposition has made many businesses thrive in an era of earnest competition. Even the smallest retail shop now has an online presence and markets online. Some even have apps that make it easy and fast for their clients and customers. Another feature of the smartphone that aids marketing in Ghana these days is also the ability to compare prices of competitors, research and make great decisions about pricing and marketing. Day in day out, lot’s of Ghanaians are utilizing this technological blessing to be successful. Go to Agbogbloshie market today and you will find the yam sellers taking pictures of their produce and sending them to their customers to have a view of it before getting them delivered to their doorstep. Other services such as Uber, Jumia Travel, and Jumia Food have apps which are easily accessible via the use of smartphones and many Ghanaians use this to their advantage.
RELATED ARTICLE: Technology as a tool for total customer service
Storage Device – Gone are the days of diskettes, compact disks or even pen drives. Now the more advanced external hard drives are also under extreme pressure from smartphone manufacturers in terms of storage. In the past, many Ghanaians found it difficult to save files and keep them for a long time. The most serious of all the challenges was the means to view and access these files or transfer them at any given time. Along came the smartphone with some of the more advanced one boasting of storage space of up to 256 gigabytes. This is more than enough to house several videos pictures, audios and documents. If you are a social person into music and videos, you have enough on your phone to keep all your favourite tracks and videos while you view them or transfer them at any time. If you are a more corporate person who often uses documents, the smartphone allows you to save as many documents as you wish and send them to business partners and colleagues by the click of just a few buttons or just the touch of your screen.
Electronic Devices Remote Control – Ever had a terrible experience of not being able to control your electronic device because you can’t find your remote or because the batteries in the remote went bad? Maybe it happened at a very crucial time which may be very embarrassing. All these are in the past now. Did you know that smartphones allow you to control certain electronic devices? Some major electronic companies like LG, Samsung etc. have built amazing technologies that allows you to change the channel on your TV, increase the volume or even reduce the temperature of your air-condition by the use of your smartphone. This has become very popular in Ghana now and many people do not really care where the remote is. All they have to do is sync their phone with the electronic device and BAM!.
RELATED ARTICLE: Unpacking sub-Saharan Africa’s online retail industry
Navigation – Probably the most annoying thing when you don’t have time or money is not easily finding your destination. Many a times, we get confused with directions that people give us and may end up being late to events, interviews, business meetings or church. If by any means we end up there after a long while, it won’t be without unexpected costs. One very important feature of smartphones that Ghanaians benefit from these days is navigation. Now Ghanaians travel freely from one region, city or town to the other without having to fear being late or incurring extra costs. The use of various navigational apps such as Google maps allows you to input your current location and destination to get a route and directions easily. Why get lost when you have a smartphone? Even if you don’t know where you are going, get on your smartphone and find it.
It is quite amazing that many people underutilize smartphones in Ghana. This device is so functional and has millions of uses that will leave you in awe. Each and every day, Ghanaians discover better uses of their smartphones making life easier for not only them, but everyone else around them. If you don’t own a smartphone, go get one now.
Credit : Bennet Otoo, Jumia Travel
