Africa gets Android

On the first day the GKenya summit at Strathmore University Nairobi, Nelson Mattos, Google VP for Product Management & Engineering [Europe, Middle East & Africa] announced the launch of the Android market for Kenya and South Africa that allows local developers to share (or sell) their creations worldwide through the Android store.

Somewhat of a surprise (even to Google) leading up to the event was the announcement (via the day's newspapers and blog) that Huawei was launching a low priced Android phone that would retail for just $100 (Kshs, 8,000).

It’s been an interesting month, as this is apparently the third android phone launched in Kenya in the space of one month. The latest one, costs almost ¼ of the original one (subsidized by who?)

This is Google’s third year in Kenya and they continue to work with curriculum developers and corporations, they invested in a local company called Mobile Planet, and their maps and apps are used by developers and corporations such as Kenya Airways and Eat Out. GKenya continues with day 2 set aside for software developers and day 3 for entrepreneurs & marketers.