Cost

People may not be able to afford expensive phones with big screens and lots of storage. So people with fewer resources tend to buy less expensive devices with low RAM and limited storage. If a phone has a low RAM, it means that the phone may load web pages slower and people may have problems downloading files.

To solve this problem, a company is unlikely to lower its standard price. Instead, it's up to us, the designers at UX, with a lot of help from engineers, to figure out how to improve storage without raising the price. The ability to temporarily disable apps is one way UX designers and engineers can do this.

Connectivity

Users may not have constant or unlimited access to the Internet. Many of our Next Billion users do not have constant access to the internet. This may be because they have used up their purchased data or because network coverage is inconsistent or sporadic.

UX designers should try to find ways to make the offline experience as rich as the online experience. For example, giving users the ability to download videos offline and ensuring that this feature and experience is well designed

Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is also an important issue. People may not be familiar with certain design patterns, calls to action, or icons that we take for granted. For example, they may not know what "swipe" means in relation to a touchscreen. They may not even know what a touchscreen is. This can impact their confidence and willingness to explore new technologies.

It's important to note that your users may not know how to use a phone, download an app, or set up an account. Without clear instructions, they may only use the part of the app they are already familiar with, or worse, stop using the app altogether.

When designing for our Next Billion Users, keep it simple. Consider things like video tutorials to help new users understand how to install and use an app, and explore new features with greater confidence.

Literacy

In general. Some users may not be able to read. Others may need to switch languages depending on what they want to do. Some users cannot read or type, and others may need to switch languages on their device depending on what they are trying to do.

For example, a user might want to read in Hindi but type using the English keyboard. Designing a multilingual keyboard option and using universally understood icons, such as an icon with a currency sign for a banking app, are just a few of the key ways UX designers can make it easier for the "Next Billion Users." Beyond these four general challenges, there's a lot more to consider when designing for the Next Billion Users.