Social networking company, 2go has just launched an app for Android. 2go is currently the largest social network in Nigeria and is making its way steadily into other emerging markets. As Android becomes the proffered smartphone OS, this move sees 2go getting a head start of its potential upcoming market.
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2go was founded in 2007 by Alan Wolff and Ashley Peter in South Africa. The company managed to get over 10-million active users with only four developers. Since then, its popularity has grown immensely. The service’s user base is mostly African and it has over 30-million registered users with more than 10-million active in Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.
Users can keep in touch with each other using 2go’s free messaging services and, very much like other social networks, share updates and photos. Through this large user base and activity the company can generate profit by allowing a platform where brands can “reach and engage with users across the continent.”
Another great deal of its popularity is the fact that 2go is compatible with more than 1 500 feature phones types as well as the second runner-up — BlackBerry. As Wolff says, now that “Android is the fastest growing mobile platform across Africa,” this application launch makes sense.
Brad Taylor, managing director of GfK Online Magazines, also notes that in Kenya for example a massive “52% of monthly sales are Android phones.” In Nigeria though, Android phones only represent 5.2% of the current monthly phone sales but are rising steadily.
Having just launched, the mobile app is bound to have one or two glitches but is hoping that these will be sorted with a little user feedback. “Users can expect much more from us in the next few months as we refine the app and add functionality,” says Peter. He also notes that “This is just the beginning for 2go on smartphones.”
2go for Android is available on the Google Play store for free and is “intuitive and easy to use.”
