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Is Bonang's app worth it?

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Bonang by Cell C
Available on Google Play
R50 to R60 per month
Two stars

It seems Bonang Matheba was unfazed after her book was controversially recalled by Exclusive Books owing to its many errors. The media personality commented that she’s actually glad about the recall because it allows for it to be revised and made better.

She swiftly launched her next project – an app called Bonang by Cell C.

It promises to give her fans – or “these people” as she calls them – an inside scoop on her daily life, and includes pictures of her outfit of the day and restaurants she eats at. Exclusive content like personal opinions on topics and behind-the-scenes moments of her reality show Being Bonang are also featured.

Those who want to directly ask Bonang questions can use the Ask Me Anything feature, and her responses are posted for all subscribers to read.

Queen B is notorious for blocking people on Twitter who ask about her relationship with AKA or her book. After submitting a question about the errors in her book on her app, we got this message:
“Thanks for asking! I answer as many as I can. Check back to see if your question is one of them!”

We doubt she’ll be answering any uncomfortable questions or if she’s even the one doing the replying.

Though the app’s visuals are appealing and its pretty user-friendly, the content was underwhelming and I didn’t feel like I got value for my money.

The app is currently available on the Google Play store, and an IOS version will soon be available. It costs R50 per month for Cell C subscribers, and R60 for those not with Cell C, and has already reached 1 000 downloads.

“Black Twitter” fetched Matheba, saying that it was expensive being her fan, and that she should stop copying Kim Kardashian – who also has an app and a set of emojis.

Meanwhile, the Big Dawg – DJ Fresh, now a Metro FM radio presenter and entrepreneur – also launched his own app. Unlike Queen B’s, fans can access his music, tour dates and live videos as well as radio interviews for free.

But are either of these apps worth it? If people only follow these personalities on their social-media platforms, are they really missing out? Why pay for images and videos that are freely available on Instagram? Content on the apps is fairly updated, but that is not a feature worth paying for. When scrolling through both apps, there were moments where both stopped working, resulting in being kicked out.

Rather spare your data and simply follow Bonang on social media if you want to be updated on her endeavours.

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