Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Mobile broadband is playing an increasingly important role in the developing world. However, mobile platform providers and app publishers are dominated by multinational companies headquartered in the West. Where international agendas commit to promote local content production and a culturally diverse information society, there is minimal research on the orientation of commercial app production in developing regions. This article examines the targets and activities of mobile app developers in two Latin American economies -Argentina and Bolivia- analysing the political, social and economic conditions that connect or disconnect app developers and the interests of local users. Findings suggest that app distribution platforms do not favour local markets and that app developers largely focus on custom-design projects for commercial firms.
Anglès
app developers; Latin America; media democratisation; mobile app industry; mobile communication and development; political economy; mobile media; app distribution; desenvolupadors d'aplicacions; Amèrica Llatina; democratització dels mitjans; indústria d'aplicacions mòbils; comunicació mòbil i desenvolupament; economia política; mitjans mòbils; distribució d'aplicacions; desarrolladores de aplicaciones; America Latina; democratización de los medios; industria de aplicaciones móviles; economía política; medios móviles; distribución de aplicaciones; comunicación móvil y desarrollo; Mobile computing -- Argentina; Mobile computing -- Bolivia; Informàtica mòbil -- Argentina; Informàtica mòbil -- Bolívia; Informática móvil -- Argentina; Informática móvil -- Bolivia
New Media and Society
New Media and Society, 2016, 18(8)
https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444815571112
Articles [216]
