Telecom
Mobile Apps is Vehicle for Cognizant Computing by 2017 – report
Mobile apps will be downloaded more than 268 billion times, generating revenue of more than $77 billion and making apps one of the most popular computing tools for users across the globe By 2017, according to Gartner, Inc.
As a result, Gartner predicts that mobile users will provide personalized data streams to more than 100 apps and services every day.
“Mobile apps have become the official channel to drive content and services to consumers. From entertainment content to productivity services, from quantified-self to home automation, there is an app for practically anything a connected consumer may want to achieve,” said Brian Blau, research director at Gartner.
“This connection to consumer services means users are constantly funneling data through mobile apps. As users continue to adopt and interact with apps, it is their data — what they say, what they do, where they go — that is transforming the app interaction paradigm.”
Currently, apps often provide an opportunity for brands to reach and engage with customers in a direct way, and therefore data coming from the user is often treated as a resource.
This is especially true of free apps, which in 2013 account for 92 percent of app downloads. App users are providing troves of data and often accept advertising or data connectivity in exchange for access to the app.
Gartner said that brands and businesses are already using mobile apps as a primary component of their user engagement strategies, and as the use of mobile devices, including wearable devices, expands into other areas of consumer and business activities, mobile apps will become even more significant.
“In the next three to four years, apps will no longer be simply confined to smartphones and tablets, but will impact a wider set of devices, from home appliances to cars and wearable devices,” said Mr. Blau.
“By 2017, Gartner predicts that wearable devices will drive 50 percent of total app interactions.”
Wearable devices will use mobile apps as their conduit for data exchange and user interface, because many of them will have few or no user interface capabilities. Offloading that responsibility to the mobile device means the wearable devices will depend on apps for all types of user input or output, configuration, content creation and consumption, and in some cases, basic connectivity.
“While wearable devices will not fully rely on, or be a slave to, mobile devices, it is a way for manufacturers to keep these devices small and efficient, therefore significantly reducing device costs in favor of using apps, which are more easily maintained and updated,” said Mr. Blau.
“Considering their underlying service, most wearable devices need some type of user interface. Taking the example of a fitness-tracking device, ultimately its onboard data will need to be uploaded into the cloud, processed, and then analyzed in reporting back to the user. Apps are an obvious and convenient platform to enable great products and services to be developed.”
Mobile apps are often a vehicle for cognizant computing, in which the data gathered through the use of the apps and the analytics around it are becoming more important in both volume and value. In fact, it can be so sophisticated that through their solution providers, consumer brands know a lot about any individual consumer, such as the consumer’s demographic data, location, preferences, habits, and even his or her social circle, in some cases.
As a result, Gartner predicts that by 2015, cognizant computing will be a key enabler in smart home solutions.
“Cognizant computing takes intelligent actions on behalf of users based on their historical data, preferences and rules,” said Sandy Shen, research director at Gartner.
“It can predict user needs and complete tasks without users initiating the action or interfering with the service. It can take the very simplistic format of completing a recurring event such as to turn on the water heater at a preset time, or the more sophisticated format of calling the rescue services and connecting with the doctor when an emergency occurs.
Cognizant computing can play a meaningful role at home because home settings are stable with relatively fixed equipment, and the user behavior there is routine and predictable. Tasks tend to be linear, in that each stays in its own boundaries with little interactions among different disciplines. For example, the entertainment services are unlikely to need to interact with the healthcare or home management services. Also, the amount of equipment or service data to call upon is relatively small compared with an outdoor environment, where the surrounding conditions and user intentions are more diverse.
Large service providers such as Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple are likely to have a head start in this market due to the relationship they already have with consumers, which provides them with a large repository of user data that they can analyze and predict — a key asset in cognizant computing.
In addition, consumers also trust these brands to manage their personal data — another key aspect in cognizant computing, whereas newcomers will have to build these relationships from scratch.
Smart home solutions will likely span across various brands and platforms in order to become “intelligent” and deliver good user experience. Those that are restricted to a single brand are likely to lose the competitive edge.
MTN Media Innovation Program (MIP), a six-month fully-funded certificate fellowship designed for media professionals, is redefining journalism and content creation in Nigeria.
Now in its fourth year, MIP, launched by MTN Nigeria in partnership with the School of Media and Communication (SMC), Pan-Atlantic University, is empowering journalists, broadcasters, and content creators with the tools to adapt, innovate, and thrive in today’s challenging media landscape.
Despite promising forecast that the market value of the Nigerian entertainment and media industry will grow from US$9.0bn in 2023 to US$13.6bn in 2028, the media sector has since grappled with issues such as limited access to training, financial instability, and the rapid decline of traditional revenue models. With digital platforms disrupting how news is consumed and monetised, journalists and media owners must rethink their approach.
MIP provides a structured learning environment where media professionals gain first-hand exposure to new industry trends, digital transformation, and the intersection of media and ICT. From data journalism to audience engagement strategies, participants leave the program with actionable skills that are shaping the future of storytelling in Nigeria.
A standout feature of MIP is its international study visit to South Africa, where fellows engage with leading media institutions, visit MTN Group’s headquarters, and participate in hands-on training sessions at the University of Johannesburg. This global exposure provides invaluable insights into how media practitioners in other markets are leveraging technology and innovation to stay ahead.
For many participants, this has been a career-defining experience. Juliet Tontoye, Vice-President, MIP Cohort 3, describes the program as ‘a turning point.’ “When we share our experiences with our colleagues at our respective media houses, we realize that the program’s benefits and impact are easier to experience than explain. In the past three months, MIP has been such an eye-opening journey. It’s a fellowship every media professional needs to experience. MTN has been such a wonderful host and we know this costs millions of Naira. However, we believe it will have a profound impact on our colleagues.”
Beyond individual impact, MIP is helping reshape the media industry by fostering collaboration and leadership. By bridging the gap between traditional journalism and digital innovation, the program ensures that fellows graduate not just as better storytellers, but as industry disruptors with a mission to create lasting change. The program’s 60 alumni, now spread across Nigeria’s top media organisations, are applying their knowledge to revolutionise newsrooms, create digital-first content strategies, and introduce sustainable business models.
According to Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer, MTN Nigeria: “When we launched MIP in 2022, our goal was to enhance media professionals’ reporting capabilities and deepen their understanding of the technology sector, empowering them to become true media innovators. Seeing the impact of the programme over the past three years has been both inspiring and humbling. We are proud to continue this initiative and invite all eligible media professionals and content creators to seize this opportunity by applying for the fourth cohort.”
Similarly, the Dean of the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, stated: “SMC will leverage its extensive experience in training media professionals to equip this next cohort. And we will do this with our usual emphasis on creativity and ethics.”
With over 60 fellows trained since its inception in 2022, MIP is building a network of media advocates who are championing ethical reporting, storytelling innovation, and the smart use of technology in journalism.
MTN Nigeria has invested over NGN 300 Million in building Nigeria’s media industry in the past three years through its partnership with PAU.
As applications open for the 2025 cohort, the program continues to attract top-tier talent eager to take their careers to the next level and contribute to the transformation of Nigerian media.
For journalists, broadcasters, and content creators looking to future-proof their careers, the MTN Media Innovation Program is more than just a fellowship—it is a movement that is reshaping the industry, one fellow at a time.
Interested journalists, bloggers, and content creators can apply for the MIP 2025 at https://bit.ly/MTN_MIP2025.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, has been appointed as the Chair of the Anglophone Countries Committee of the Network of Africa Data Protection Authorities (NADPA).
The appointment, confirmed on April 2, underscores Nigeria’s leadership in Africa’s data privacy efforts. Speaking after his confirmation, Olatunji urged members to prioritize collective efforts in protecting the privacy rights of over 1.4 billion Africans.
Meanwhile, Nigeria will host the 2025 NADPA Annual General Meeting and Conference in May. Themed “Balancing Innovation in Africa: Data Protection and Privacy in Emerging Technologies,” the event will showcase Nigeria’s strides in digital economy development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has charged the over 174 million telecoms subscribers in the country to constantly monitor their data usage to authenticate their consumption level.
This follows concerns being raised by telecoms consumers about the rapidity of data depletion on their devices.
The Commission particularly enjoined the consumers to always contact their service providers to make requests for cases of discrepancies noted in their data usage.
While the consumers are expected to contact their service providers to request for their usage history/statement where inconsistency exists in their data usage as first step, the Commission said they may also escalate such issues to the Commission through its toll-free Number 622 and social media platforms, especially if their requests are not satisfactorily handled.
The Commission, which also made some clarifications regarding the concerns being raised by the consumers around data usage, said the need to inform the consumers on their concerns is part of its commitment to protect and appropriately inform and educate the telecom consumer on industry issues.
Making further clarifications around data speed and usage, the Commission said data speed is the speed at which data is transferred between two devices, measured in megabits per second (Mbps or mbps), stressing that given the spread of Internet services and the immense investment in the sector, data rates have continued to increase and users may be unaware of how to measure data speed.
The telecoms regulator explained further that websites such as www.fast.com also provide an easy way for consumers to measure Internet speed on any device at any location.
“The higher the data speed, the quicker pages load-downloads and uploads-occur and expectedly, the quicker data bundles are exhausted. So, as telecom consumers are able to do more on devices in less time, some consumers’ devices & network service providers make it possible to limit data speed to help users manage data usage better.
“In any case, most devices now include functions to measure data used by devices and it is imperative that users monitor same to authenticate data usage, such as applications left running on devices. Therefore, where discrepancies occur users may contact their service provider to request for their usage history/statement. If request is not dealt with satisfactorily then, users can contact NCC by calling 622 or engage the Commission via its social media platforms”.
It added that the data usage experience is a function of location, network equipment and users connected in a particular location.
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