From the article: "Even so, there is one area of technology and global development where reality
has tempered my optimism: the idea that cellphones would revolutionize life in
developing countries. A decade ago, many people believed that the proliferation
of mobile devices in Africa would mean a short leap to digital empowerment. It
didn’t. Digital empowerment is a long and ongoing process, and the mere
existence of cellular technology does not immediately change how poor people
meet their basic needs.
But now, after years of investments, digital empowerment is underway, owing
to a confluence of factors, including growing network coverage, more capable
devices, and an expanding catalogue of applications. As more people obtain
access to better and cheaper digital technology, an inflection point is
eventually reached, at which the benefits of providing digitally services like
banking and health care clearly outweigh the costs. Companies are then willing
to make the investments required to build new systems, and customers are able
to accept the transition costs of adopting new behaviors." Read more
