Victor Adewale for Rest of World This article was originally published in Rest of World, which covers technology’s impact outside the West.Can a $40 smartphone bring Africa online?On March 3, the GSMA, a global advocacy and lobby group for the mobile communications industry, announced partnerships to pilot $40 smartphones in Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda in 2026.“Affordable 4G smartphones at scale could bring tens of millions of people online, unlocking access to education, healthcare, financial services, e-commerce, and AI-powered tools,” GSMA said in a press release.Around 960 million Africans don’t use mobile internet despite living within the coverage...