An electronic exodus of Middle East youth to English internet websites in search of news and entertainment content may be contributing to a decline in the use of Arabic mother-tongue languages across the region.
But Middle East software developers and digital content companies are countering the trend with the release of new Arabic mobile apps to keep Arabic language front and centre for the next generation of digitally dialed-in youth.
Despite nearly 2,000 per cent growth in Middle East online usage from 2000 to 2011, Arabic content is still substantially lacking as content companies and software developers race to catch up to demand.
Some estimates peg Arabic online content globally at only one per cent despite a recent push to create specialised domain names in non-English languages such as Arabic, Chinese and Russian by American officials overseeing the internet domain name system.
Music and games
Major online portals such as Google, Yahoo and Netlog, meanwhile, now provide Arabic websites and Arabic content — telecoms such as etisalat and du are also focusing on offering Arabic music, games and television content.
Yahoo unveiled its new Arabic mobile website in mid-June. Prototype Interactive — an interactive digital agency headquartered in Dubai Media City — is among a handful of young start-up companies of late who are working to fill the great divide.
A new study by Prototype Interactive and digital content agency Netizency states: "We have tried to target the youth who are starting to lose affection for the Arabic language and have combined Arabic traditions with modern technology".
Alexander Rauser, CEO of Prototype Interactive, told Gulf News his agency not only helps companies brand themselves and products through new websites in Arabic, it has also developed a series of its own new Windows Phone 7 mobile apps in Arabic.
The new apps are now on the market and include audio books to tell the stories in Arabic of Sinbad, Ali Baba, and Aladdin.
"We have done the audio books as apps because people in the Middle East cannot buy audiobooks from iTunes without a US account [which needs a US address and a US credit card]." Rauser said in addition to a prayer app, they have also adapted the Hangman language game from English to Arabic.
Initiatives
"This is a start, it's happening. It is not developing as fast as some hoped given the initiatives in the region," Rauser said. Rauser said it's a struggle to look for some content in Arabic, adding that he prefers to look at the situation as one of great promise for young Arabs who want to increase their presence on the internet.
New apps released by Prototype are hitting the markets after the one-year-old company forged an alliance with Microsoft in a pilot project to help other apps developers get their products to the consumer.
Prototype has set up its new www.yallaapps.com website as a portal where developers can submit their Windows Phone 7 apps ideas for consideration by Microsoft.
To date, there "are 3,000 developers who have registered with Yalla Apps," Rauser said and 300 apps have been published on Windows Phone Marketplace., the apps store for the mobile phone platform.
He noted that prototype has tracked the successful downloads of the 300 apps that were submitted through Yalla Apps.
"Last time we checked, the apps were downloaded around 200,000 times."
Arabic apps already on the market
- Arabic Hangman: This is an educational guessing game that requires people to try and form a pre-assigned word by selecting different letters.
- Arabic Audiobook of Sinbad: This audiobook retraces the seven journeys of Sinbad, the legendary sailor from Basra.
- Arabic Audiobook of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp: This audiobook retraces the journeys of Aladdin and the magic lamp, a boy from a poor family who goes on a quest to win the heart of a princess.
- Arabic Audiobook of Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves: This audiobook narrates the adventures of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves. Ali Baba was a merchant's son who finds a cave filled with gold and treasure.
By Derek Baldwin,
