For the first time, Arabic Internet addresses without Latin characters are available. Previously, web addresses had to end with ".com" or other Latin characters, forcing businesses and governments targeting populations without knowledge of Latin characters to use Latin characters.
Arabic Internet addresses for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates were added to the Internet's master directories on May 5th. A suffix for Russia in Cyrillic, Hong Kong in Chinese, Thailand in Thai, and Sri Lanka in Sinhalese and Tamil are expected to follow.
Internationalized Domain Names
Arabic Internet Addresses Activated, More Languages to Follow
Trend Themes
1. Multilingual Domain Names - The availability of Arabic Internet addresses marks a new era for businesses targeting non-Latin-based language speakers, paving the way for more languages to follow.
2. Localization of Online Content - The activation of Arabic domain names presents a new shift towards the localization of online content, allowing businesses to engage better with their target audiences regardless of language barriers.
3. Expansion of the Domain Name System - The addition of non-Latin-based domain names to the internet's master directories signals a new shift towards the expansion of the Domain Name System, opening up opportunities for new languages and characters to enter the internet space.
Industry Implications
1. Web Development - The widespread activation of non-Latin-based domain names presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for web developers to create multilingual websites that cater to non-Latin-based language speakers.
2. Online Marketing - Businesses can take advantage of the availability of non-Latin-based domain names to expand their online marketing strategies to reach a wider audience that speaks a variety of languages, creating a competitive advantage.
3. Infrastructure - The expansion of the Domain Name System to include more non-Latin-based language characters creates opportunities for infrastructure companies to help facilitate the transition towards a more multilingual internet, such as providing secure domain name registration and management.