The Middle East is rapidly evolving into a melting pot of different cultures, diverse societies, and tech innovations. Today, there are more than 540 million mobile subscriptions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, which is expected to surpass 710 million by the end of 2030 – a testament to the region’s digital transformation.
As smartphone adoption continues to grow, businesses must prioritise building mobile-first products to gain a competitive edge and cater to dynamic user preferences. Today, users in the Middle East are increasingly seeking digital products that offer a perfect blend of locally relevant and seamless experiences while also focusing on regional customisation and catering to niche preferences.
Therefore, it is imperative to adopt a mobile-first approach for product development that integrates behavioural and regional nuances.
This article examines some key user experience (UX) considerations that product teams should know while building digital products for users in the Middle East.
But first, let’s understand what we mean by a mobile-first design.
What is a mobile-first design?
Mobile-first design is exactly what it sounds like: prioritising product development for mobile devices over laptops and computers. In many ways, this approach challenges the conventional design creation process while primarily focusing on offering optimised and smooth user experiences on mobile devices.
The mobile-first design approach for building products hinges on a few core principles, including usability, performance, and simplicity – all focusing on a logical content hierarchy and intuitive navigation.
Now, let’s understand why the mobile-first design approach is the baseline requirement for success in the evolving Middle East market landscape.
Why mobile-first matters?
We already know that smartphone adoption and penetration are increasing across the Middle East, driven by increasing government investments and a significant rise in the number of tech-savvy consumers who demand a fusion of high-speed internet and smartphones.
Current trends suggest that smartphones are the most preferred devices for consumers in the Middle East to access digital channels. Consumer engagement with mobile applications is almost 1.6 times higher than that in developed regions, including Europe and North America.
Today, nearly 99% of consumers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have internet access, indicating the pressing need for mobile-first products in the country.
That said, the speed and convenience of digital products will remain the top factors that could make or break a product in this region, with app abandonment rates hovering around 88%.
It is clear that product development must align the product’s user interface (UI) and UX with the preferences and consumer habits of Arabic and non-Arabic users in the Middle East.
Now, let’s dive into the article’s core: UX considerations for building a mobile-first product in 2025 and beyond.
Middle East-centric UX considerations to build flawless mobile-first products
Every demographic is different, so a one-size-fits-all strategy won’t do the trick, particularly while building a mobile-first solution in today’s dynamic market ecosystem.
The Middle East, which is largely dominated by the Arabic-speaking population, requires a different approach to UX to accommodate the dialect differences, right-to-left (RTL) text, and other non-negotiable nuances.
Here are some important UX insights product designers and leadership must consider to build a top-notch mobile-first product for the Middle East market.
1. Perfecting the right-to-left (RTL) layout
Did you know that around 60% of Arabs prefer browsing content in Arabic over other languages? This statistic sends a clear message to UX and product designers in the Middle East – master the art of creating a mobile-first product in Arabic while offering the flexibility to toggle languages, and one of the best ways to achieve that is by perfecting the right-to-left layout.
Flip the page
Unlike English, Arabic is written and read from right to left, so it is crucial to flip the entire page’s layout to ensure it fulfils the RTL layout and navigation requirements. But why is this important? Because Arabic readers start reading from the top-right area of the screen and move toward the left.
Reading behaviour
The reading patterns of Arabic readers mirror the F-shape, typically seen in LTR languages. The common behaviour is to start from the right and move across to the left, and then scan down to the next line.
Key notes
While following the fundamentals of RTL is vital, it is equally important to understand that not all elements need mirroring. For example, numbers, logos, icons, and text input fields should follow the standard left-to-right (LTR) format.
Top bar and notification icons: LTR
Search bar: RTL
Carousels: The “next” image or slide should point toward the left (←) and the previous image or slide to the right (→)
2. Nailing the fonts, language, and typography
Now, let’s get familiar with the acceptable fonts, the language, and the typography suitable for Arabic users.
The product’s typography plays a crucial role in improving the usability of its interface. Since most mobile-first products will use the same written language, it is crucial to use culturally aesthetic typography within the legibility standards.
Fonts and size
Some of the most popular Arabic fonts used in applications and websites across the Middle East include Noto Naskh (serif), Noto Sans Arabic, and Amiri Quran (Naskh style) since they’re very legible, clean and modern.
Since Arabic typefaces typically tend to render text smaller, the font size is generally increased by 3-4 points from the standard size used for English text.
Language
While you may be tempted to use informal or casual language, it is highly recommended to use Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) since it is the official language across all Arabic-speaking nations. Additionally, it is also extensively used across different sectors, including education, literature, media, and communication. In short, it is pan-Arab – you can never go wrong with this one!
3. Represent the different Arabic cultures accurately
The Middle East comprises multiple countries and is undoubtedly a diverse region. Just building a mobile-first product in Arabic won’t be enough to gain traction; it is also about accurately representing local cultures and values. And no, the representation of the region in Western movies and television series isn’t accurate.
Using appropriate graphics and images is critical to considering cultural sensitivities. Further, the visual elements of a digital product play an instrumental role in conveying a brand’s message, so there are no shortcuts.
The best way to ensure your product connects with the local audience is by adding visual elements that represent the region’s culture, history, and traditions accurately.
Let’s take an example of the traditional thawb – a very common robe predominantly worn by men across the Arab lands. While the uninitiated may think that the same style of thawb is worn across the entire Middle East, in reality, each country has its own version. So, if you decide to use images of men, it is a good idea to dive deeper into understanding the style and nuances of the thawb worn by men in that specific region.
4. Multilingual support for voice search inputs is an absolute must
Although a majority of Arab users are likely to engage with a website or an application that is in Arabic, English is also extensively used for voice searches. Therefore, you must prioritise adding multilingual support to the search functionality – a feature that is no longer ‘good to have’, but ‘a must-have’.
It is a good idea to learn about multilingual UX testing to cater to users from different backgrounds.
Many users search for a specific product using their English name since many local and international brands also list their products in English.
For example, most users only know the English names of many products, particularly in the SaaS or tech-based space, so naturally, they will use English to search for them. It is always a good idea to assess your business and users’ requirements, and offer multi-lingual search to improve the product’s usability.
Product owners can add features that allow users to toggle between their mother tongue or preferred dialect and English with minimum friction. Additionally, the product should also be able to detect a user’s dialect or linguistic preferences automatically to provide a better experience.
Parting notes
From increasing government investments to improve digitalisation to the swelling tech-savvy consumers, the Middle East is at the cusp of digital transformation. Building digital assets for Arab users, including websites and mobile-first products, involves a perfect mix of hyper-localisation and understanding of the cultural nuances in different countries.
It is also worth noting that while Arabic speakers predominantly populate the Middle East, UX should also consider the preferences of non-Arabic-speaking users. From mastering the RTL layout and typography to integrating multilingual voice search, these aspects of UX, coupled with cultural precision, will shape the success of your mobile-first products in the Middle East in 2025 and beyond.
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