We briefly summarize the motivation and challenges facing the mobile web in developing countries, and analyze
possible paths for the emergence of advanced mobile data applications using a simple model of application
development and migration. The needs and environments of developing countries are very diverse, and the route of
migrating functionality from the desktop to the handheld may not be the best approach in developing countries.
It is clear that further research is needed to get a deeper and broader understanding of fundamental needs,
characteristics, usage and constraints of the mobile web in developing countries. We sketch three examples where
there is ongoing research work and more is needed: novel applications such as facilitation of microlending via
advanced MMS and tagging; studies of network and user dynamics with a view to stimulating collection, archival
and dissemination of detailed traces from under-represented regions and environments; and analysis of security
threats that may be particularly important for developing regions. In addition to standardization and best-practices
efforts in general it appears there may be a special role for the W3C to play in terms of leveraging its global reach
and perspective to act as a catalyst for the mobile web in developing countries.