Hong Kong government spending millions developing apps that no one downloads
Millions of dollars have gone into creating a wide range of mobile phone applications, but many are not being used, lawmakers say
Mobile phone applications developed by government departments at a cost of tens of millions of dollars are barely being used, with some attracting as few as just 10 downloads.
Star among the departments - which spent more than HK$26 million in 2012-13 producing the apps and planned to spend HK$12.9 million more over the following two years - was the Observatory. Its My Observatory app had 3.8 million downloads up until early this year.
Worst was a potentially useful red tide information network offered by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department in January which drew just 10 downloads.
"The biggest problem is that many departments develop apps and forget about them," information technology sector lawmaker Charles Mok said at a special meeting of the Legislative Council Finance Committee. "It's a waste of effort."
People Power lawmaker Raymond Chan Chi-chuen said: "Some of those apps cost quite a lot to develop. How can we tell if they are cost-effective?"