Google Leads The Way With Offline YouTube In India: Why Africa Should Be Next

Yesterday, Google introduced a series of groundbreaking initiatives targeted towards the Indian market that could potentially make waves in Nigeria and Africa on the broader scale.

Let’s start by discussing what Google plans on implementing or expanding in India, a country inhabited by approximately 1.3 billion people. At a press conference held in India, Google revealed their ambitious strategy to aid Indians in conserving mobile data. The focus was on a two-pronged approach: data preservation and language support capabilities.

Rahul Ro-Chowdhury, Google’s Vice President of Chrome, discussed the newest features that Chrome had to offer. Previously, through Chrome’s data saving attribute, Indian users were able to conserve an impressive 337TB of data each week. Google has been a front runner in attempts to make the Internet load faster while reducing data consumption. For instance, their WebP image format provides a viable alternative to the standard JPEG and PNG formats. WebP is designed to conserve bandwidth, offering smaller file sizes without compromising on quality. This means faster load times for users and significant bandwidth savings for website operators.

The tech giant also announced an enhancement to their popular Google Maps feature. Extending the utility of the application beyond simply providing directions, their newly announced app, Trips, allows users to download an entire travel itinerary for offline use. This proves quite handy in situations where connectivity may be limited.

India, home to over one-seventh of the world’s population, represents a considerable opportunity for tech companies like Google. Internet Live Stats reported a noteworthy increase in Internet penetration from 27 percent in 2015 to 34.8 percent in 2016, reaching nearly 462,124,989 users. Given the enormous size of its population, India offers a vast untapped market, especially as other countries like China have been resistant to outside tech companies’ efforts.

In the latest Chrome update for Android, Google is now enabling the option to download an entire webpage, including videos and images, for offline use. This allows users, who may only have intermittent access to internet services due to factors like limited coverage or high cost, to maintain their online activities even when offline. This type of feature would be particularly useful in areas of Africa, where constant access to the internet is not always readily available or economically feasible.

Google announced the launch of YouTube Offline for Indian users, revealing their ambition to reach more people in regions like India. This new app, YouTube Go, allows users to download high-quality videos for offline viewing. What makes YouTube Go stand out is its comparatively low data usage. Even in areas with poor connectivity, the app adapts to constantly changing signal strengths, and should the connection fail, downloads simply resume from where they left off.

Google’s commitment to improving internet connectivity and accessibility in India doesn’t stop there. As reported by Engadget, Google has also been offering WiFi facilities at various train stations across India, marking a significant milestone in promoting internet availability.

The evidence of Google’s efforts in India extends beyond these developments. The tech giant completed a 9,000Km undersea cable project between the US and Japan earlier this year. This feat serves as a testament to their commitment of extending their services on a global scale.

However, one question arises: why not introduce similar initiatives in Africa?

Africa is home to over a billion people, with Nigeria, the biggest market, having a relatively low 10 percent broadband penetration rate. Even though the smartphone revolution hasn’t reached everyone yet, it’s predicted that the number of users is set to skyrocket to over 350 million by next year. This combined with the continent’s 200 million young people aged between 15 and 24, and an array of promising startups attracting local and international investors, gives ample reason for tech giants like Google to initiate a digital transformation in Africa.

While the tech boom in Nigeria came about in the mid-2000s following deregulation in the sector, the scope for growth has been hampered partly by the current economic recession and the government’s plan to increase taxes on ICT services including data and voice calls. Despite these setbacks, the gradual improvement of Africa’s financial outlook, substantiated by Euromonitor’s report on an expected growth in consumer spending in ten African cities, bodes well for the ICT sector.

With Google setting the example in India, if similar schemes were launched in Africa, such as broadband services like Google Station, this could potentially spark a substantial rise in startup ideas that were stifled due to limitations in internet access. Mark Zuckerberg, on a visit to the Co-Creation Hub in Lagos, met with a number of talented individuals bringing innovative ideas to the table, which supports this prospect.

To conclude, the new progress made in India, including the offline YouTube app, defines a template that can be utilized in Africa. Duplicating these strategical models could potentially lead to wider internet coverage for Africa, providing a surge in economic growth and opportunity for the emerging tech industry.