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Why Saudi Tech Companies Should Have Powerful Mobile Applications in this year

 

I've been tracking the Saudi tech market advance since I initiated consulting here in in recent years, and there's one tendency that keeps affecting me over and over - our local startups are lagging on mobile development while global competitors are capturing market share!

 

 

In spite of having almost 98% smartphone ownership in Saudi truly, it's greater than most European countries), I'm repeatedly walking into meetings with tech entrepreneurs who still assume mobile apps are \"supplementary\" rather than essential. It's truly annoying to see the lost opportunities.

 

 

Just recently I was talking to this promising fintech startup near KAFD - they'd used about 8 months building this attractive web platform with all the additions. Quite impressed until I inquired about their mobile strategy. The CTO (intelligent person, mashallah) actually advised me with a deadpan look: \"We're focusing on web first because that's where important transactions happens.\"

 

 

I just about choked on my coffee! When we pulled up their analytics collectively, over 43% of their traffic were on mobile devices and the bounce rate was... well, let's just say it was poor. Seriously bad. Like \"we're losing potential customers\" awful.

 

 

Here's the thing, the numbers don't lie - CITC issued this report showing average daily mobile use surpasses 7.5 hours per person in the Kingdom. DAILY! That's longer than television, laptops, and probably rest for some people lol. If you're not developing for mobile FIRST in 2025, you might as well begin drafting your company obituary.

 

 

From my observations working with effective Saudi apps, there are several critical elements:

 

 

1) Support for domestic payment platforms - not just mada, but also STC Payment, Urpay, and the recent digital wallets. Overseas payment solutions without local options announce \"we don't understand this market\" to Saudi users.

 

 

2) Genuine compliance with CITC's latest data protection rules - not the 2023 version that everyone knows, but the latest update that added those 13 extra requirements for user data handling. I've seen apps get pulled from stores for lacking these.

 

 

" (video: //www.youtube.com/embed/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y_Pkox-PJQ)3) Arabic-centric design with actual cultural awareness. If you're ready to read more information on "Visit Threesixty take a look at our own web page. I'm not just talking about RTL support (though that's fundamental). I mean recognizing how Saudi users interact, their privacy expectations, even color preferences - did you know mauve has totally distinct associations here than in Western markets? Little things make a difference.

 

 

This digital agency actually did this project last year for a cybersecurity customer where they rebuilt their client dashboard with these principles. Activity improved substantially compared to standard metrics. Not 20%. Not 50%. A huge increase! The disparity wasn't investment - it was knowing local requirements.

 

 

The tech stack preferences are intriguing too - Google's Flutter has acquired substantial traction in Riyadh's tech community (perhaps because of that large Google training event they ran in 2023), while React Native still is the leader in Jeddah and Dammam, creating curious regional development ecosystems worth tracking.

 

 

While deciding on a tech partner, ignore their flashy portfolio and investigate direct questions about Saudi regulations and cultural design considerations. The good ones will have concrete examples and case studies, not just general \"we know the region\" statements that mean very little.

 

 

I informed that fintech company they had approximately 6 months to improve their mobile experience before their rivals made it outdated. They doubted me. 3 months later, their primary competitor launched a polished mobile app and initiated stealing their market share. They're now hurrying to create an app while falling behind.

 

 

Steer clear of the same mistake. The gap between mobile-first companies and web-only outdated businesses grows every month here.

 

 

Want to chat regarding your mobile strategy? Contact me - I'm always up for coffee in Riyadh or virtual calls with teams in other cities.

Website: https://3sixty.sa/en/basic-service-package

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