In last week’s New York Times, Angelina Draper had a useful article about Myanmar’s smartphone apps and services. With broadband costing $500 to install and $70-120 per month to run, many people access the internet via a smartphone (usually Android-based). That trend will intensify later this year when Ooredoo and Telenor roll out 3G services, and prices fall dramatically. Cellphone usage, estimated at 10 percent of the population in 2011 and 27 percent in 2013, is targeted to reach 80 percent by 2016.

This much is well known. What interests me is Draper’s report on a couple of smartphone app initiatives now taking place. In March, David Madden, founder of Code for Change Myanmar, invited developers to join a social innovation competition. The winning entry was an Android app designed to transmit pest and disease alerts around farming communities. Next month Revo Tech, founded by Myo Myint Kyaw, will launch a proprietary app enabling users to learn the Myanmar script by tracing letters on-screen.

The mobile phone revolution that will sweep Myanmar just a few months from now is certain to generate immense opportunity for social gain – in basic education and in so many other spheres. Both state and aid agencies need to be alive to the possibilities about to open up.