In Brazil, applying for a credit card is a whole lot of hassle. But mobile-first service Nubank is harnessing the 90 million-strong smartphone circulation to replace all that poor service and paperwork with a streamlined, app-based offering. Is this the future of Brazilian banking?

The number of internet users in Africa has grown at seven times the global average, growing over 3,600% between 2000 and 2012 to 167 million people. With the internet now reaching more people than ever before, being online is no longer a luxury, but a norm.

With 140 million active mobile phone subscriptions, Nigeria has emerged as an attractive market for mobile. In a bid to drive electronic payment strategies, five Nigerian banks have launched new service PayAttitude. But with adoption of mobile payments slowing, what do they stand to gain?

Smartphones are no longer just a means of communicating. They wake us up, get us from A to B and even help us find love. We’ve almost forgotten their original purpose. Text trumps voicecalls and apps trump SMS – it’s a good time to ask – what’s the future of the mobile phone?