đ±A Billion New Internet Users Are About to Shake Things Up
The World Is Logging On For Real This Time
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You know that feeling when youâre late to a party, but you bring the best snacks? Thatâs exactly whatâs happening with the next billion internet users. Theyâve arrived fashionably late and theyâre about to transform the online world as we know it. Bloomberg Originalsâ episode, âA Billion More People Are About To Transform the Internet,â hosted by the always-brilliant Hannah Fry, lays out a roadmap for whatâs coming and itâs not just about extra hands at the digital poker table. Itâs about a complete shake-up of the game itself. Letâs dive in.
The World Is Logging On For Real This Time
Once dominated by Silicon Valleyâs hoodie-clad elite, the internet is evolving. The next wave of users is coming from regions you might not expect: Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America places where fast internet wasnât a given, but where innovation happens out of necessity. And now, thanks to cheaper smartphones and more accessible data plans, people from these regions are joining the online community en masse.
Think of it like a digital Gold Rush but instead of gold, it's bandwidth, and instead of panning in streams, these new users are mining the digital economy. According to Fry, the implications of this growth will echo across industries, redefining everything from e-commerce to social media to tech infrastructure.
The New Face of the Internet (Hint: It's Not Silicon Valleyâs Poster Child)
Hereâs the twist: this next billion wonât act like your typical internet users. Forget the expectations that everyoneâs about to download TikTok and become a crypto expert. These new users are hungry for different things and services that meet their unique needs. The tech world, in other words, will have to take a hard look in the mirror.
For example, while a Silicon Valley startup might focus on the next flashy app, the rising digital class in Southeast Asia could be more interested in reliable payment systems for their local businesses. In Africa, digital health services and education platforms are booming as they offer solutions to infrastructure problems. The internet is about to get less selfie-obsessed and more purpose-driven.
The Power of Leapfrogging
This isnât just a story of catching up itâs about leapfrogging. Many of these regions are bypassing the legacy systems that Western countries have been shackled to for decades. Take, for instance, M-Pesa, a mobile money service that revolutionized banking in Kenya. It didnât need physical bank branches or complicated regulatory frameworks to become a giant it just needed people with phones and the desire to manage their money digitally.
These new users are skipping the landline and desktop phase of the internet entirely, going straight to mobile and mobile-first development is going to be the key to attracting them. A billion new users means a billion new problems and opportunities to solve, with solutions that could be faster, cheaper, and more nimble than anything weâve seen before.
Opportunities for Entrepreneurs (This Is Where You Come In)
For the entrepreneurs reading this (donât pretend youâre not), hereâs the golden nugget: the companies that figure out how to serve these markets will be the ones writing the future. Itâs no longer just about how fast you can get a product to marketâitâs about which market. Want to build the next billion-dollar startup? Start looking at underserved populations and ask yourself what they need that Silicon Valley might not be thinking about.
But hereâs the catch: doing business in these regions isnât as straightforward as porting your existing app over to another language. Fry talks about how cultural nuances, local infrastructure, and political climates will all play a role in shaping these emerging digital landscapes. Entrepreneurs who understand this will be the ones to win big.
What You Should Watch Next
This episode of Bloomberg Originals lays the groundwork for whatâs about to happen on a massive scale, but if youâre as hooked as I am, you might want to check out these episodes next:
âAfrica's Fintech Revolution: Can It Disrupt Global Banking?â â How Africaâs Fintech scene is rewriting the rules on digital payments.
âSoutheast Asiaâs Startup Scene: The New Frontier?â â A deep dive into the explosive growth of tech hubs in cities like Jakarta and Manila.
âLatin Americaâs Digital Boom: What Silicon Valley Isnât Seeingâ â A look at how Latin America is quietly becoming a global tech player while Silicon Valley sleeps on it.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didnât Read)
A billion new internet users are coming online from developing nations, bringing with them new demands, new markets, and new opportunities. This wave of users isnât going to act like the typical Western consumerâtheyâll shape the internet according to their own needs. For entrepreneurs and businesses, this presents a golden opportunity to get ahead by creating solutions tailored to this growing population. The future of the internet isnât just in your backyard anymore itâs global, mobile, and about to blow your mind.
Get ahead of the curve, or you might find yourself left behind in this digital stampede. Watch the full episode here âŹïž
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