For African consumers without reliable access to the Internet, a new SMS-based version of Gmail can help keep them connected. Cellphone ownership rates have risen exponentially in the last decade on the continent, but smartphone ownership is still low and mobile Internet access through Wi-Fi or 3G remains unreliable and often patchy.

However, Google has rolled out a version of popular email service Gmail that is compatible with basic cellphone usage and restricted or no Internet access.It’s not often you hear about low technology solutions being developed by the technology giants. In the race to dominante lucrative Western markets, sometimes continents without the same high-tech infrastructures can be left behind.