According to the Google Developer Team, in the past year alone, Google guys have met with over 10,000 developers and techies across Sub Saharan Africa and are continually impressed by the ingenuity and enthusiasm of this community in solving real problems with technology.
From applications that crowd-source traffic info to mobile registration of local businesses, handheld devices have taken center stage for consumers and developers in Africa. With a number of countries in the region hovering around 80-90% mobile penetration, mobile is the screen size for the web and the communication experience.
And now that mass is all talking about Google and the Android Development.
Every day over 300,000 Android devices are activated globally according to recent statistics, a growing number of these mobile devices are powering on for the first time in emerging markets like those in Africa. As Android users multiply, so does the appeal to for developers of building apps on this free open-source platform.
This challenge dubbed The Android Developer Challenge is designed to encourage the creation of cool and innovative Android mobile apps built by developers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The key motive of the whole initiative is to invent Apps that delight users and the developer with the most impressive application stands a chance to win an Android phone and $25,000 USD (An equivalent of 2.1Million KES).
The starting point will be a choice of category with a total of three (3) defined eligible categories namely;
- Entertainment / Media / Games
- Social Networking / Communication
- Productivity / Tools / Lifestyle
The competition entails building an Android app in a team or by yourself, and submitting it via the competition website beating a July 1st deadline.
The winning app will be announced on September 12th at G-Kenya.
More details and Terms and Conditions on the Google website.
For purposes of launch of this competition, Google have teamed up with Google Technology User Groups (GTUGs) across Africa to host Android Developer Challenge events.