Tools company Appy Pie launched an Arabic version of its app builder, targeting users in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE, noting “there is no doubt the internet population in the Middle East and North Africa is a mobile-first one”.

“With the e-commerce market expected to grow at 12.36 per cent from 2016 to 2020, we want to tap into this huge market by offering Appy Pie in Arabic, which will help users build apps in their native language, at never-seen-before prices,” said CEO and founder Abhinav Girdhar.

Last June, the company launched the open beta of Snappy App Builder, designed for amateurs such as students and small business owners.

At the time, Girdhar told Mobile World Live he built Appy Pie out of his web and app development company after receiving repeated requests from clients for help with low-cost app development.