Samsung Electronics believe the proliferation of mobile devices will speed up the adoption of cloud computing services in Africa.
With Africa getting several undersea cables, bringing an abundance of bandwidth, many countries on the continent are moving away from traditional servers to a mobile environment.
Thierry Boulanger, Director of IT Solutions and B2B at Samsung Africa, said: “Traffic to the cloud, incorporating voice, video, and data services will increase exponentially in the coming years.
“In fact, Africa is expected to have the highest compound annual growth rate in the world when it comes to cloud traffic growth as more companies are adopting cloud-based solutions. This will lead to a rise in cloud workloads on the continent for the foreseeable future.”
Boulanger added while cloud services change the way people access information and share it, evolving mobile devices are providing users with more flexibility.
He continued: “Manufacturers that are able to meet these changing requirements from their devices will best be positioned to provide users with the tools they need to live a digital and cloud-based lifestyle. Notebooks, tablets, printers, smartphones, and even traditional consumer appliances like refrigerators and air-conditioners have become the portals to the cloud.”
It is on this basis Samsung have built their Cloud Strategy – by focusing not on the data centres and the foundational infrastructure, but rather on providing access devices – devices that enable customers to use cloud services anytime anywhere.
The Korean manufacturer believes that manufacturers do not have the luxury of designing products that only work with certain operators or restrict users from accessing certain services.
People on the continent demand flexibility, customizability, and user-friendliness at a price that is cost-effective for Third World countries with First World aspirations.
“Users require devices that allow them to access the cloud at any time and place on a device that suits their needs for portability, long battery life and a positive user experience.
“For many, the market in Africa for cloud computing services is at a crossroads. Now is the time for manufacturers to push these to the next level and Samsung is doing exactly that,” concluded Boulanger.
