Dubai never fails to impress with its forward-thinking approach to technological innovation. Dubai Police recently unveiled the emirate's ambitious approach to law enforcement: a robot policeman equipped with cameras and facial recognition software. China is taking a similar approach, with companies developing artificial intelligence designed to predict crimes before they occur.
Reports and Coverage
TRA reveals data for second quarter of 2017 on UAE market shares of mobile handsets, smartphones
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has revealed statistics for the second quarter of 2017 on the nation's most popular mobile phone handsets. Investigating the current state of the market, the report reveals the market share of mobile phones in the UAE by manufacturer and model.
Google files appeal against $2.8bn EU antitrust fine
Alphabet-owned Google is fighting back against the $2.8 billion antitrust fine it was given by the European Commission in June this year. The Californian tech giant has filed an appeal against the fine, which was the largest penalty ever given by the European Union's regulator.
Virgin Mobile UAE’s ‘customer-centric’ approach
Virgin Mobile UAE's mobile plans are "totally customer-centric" said Product Manager Juraj Cangar speaking at the brand's Design District HQ in Dubai on September 6. Customers can have their SIM card delivered to them "within an hour", personalize their monthly mobile plan, and choose their own phone number, all via an in-house built app.
Saudi ICT Minister Abdullah Alswaha honors telcos for Hajj efforts
In a move that would encourage Saudi Arabia's telecom sector, His Excellency the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha recently visited the headquarters of both Zain Saudi Arabia and Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) in Riyadh, where he honored the companies for their efforts during Hajj season.
Huawei unveils first mobile AI computing platform
At IFA 2017 in Berlin, Huawei unveiled its vision for the future of artificial intelligence (AI) with the launch of the Kirin 970 chipset. Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, said the company is committed to turning smart devices into intelligence devices by building end-to-end capabilities that support coordinated development of chips, devices and the cloud.
Egypt’s Minister for ICT says 4G will launch this month
Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, H.E. Eng. Yasser El Kady, told Reuters on Sept. 11, that Egypt will launch commercial 4G services by the end of September. The Minister also said the government will release additional frequencies to operators in the future without committing to a timeline.
Smart Dubai sponsors participation of Emirates Digital Association for Women at Grace Hopper Conference 2017
Smart Dubai Office sponsored the participation of Emirates Digital Association for Women at the Grace Hopper Conference 2017, held annually in Orlando, USA, to highlight the potential of women in computing, technology and artificial intelligence.
European ministers push for higher tax on tech giants’ revenues
France is leading a push to increase the taxation of tech giants in Europe, backed by Germany, Italy and Spain. The countries' finance ministers said in a joint letter that they want multinational technology companies like Google and Amazon to be taxed based on their revenues in Europe, rather than only profits as now.
Why integrating customer experience silos in the telecom sector is a powerful weapon
We all know functional silos of any sort are bad for any organization, let alone in the highly competitive telecom sector where customer loyalty is hard to come by. Silos reduce efficiency, create barriers and add costs to day to day tasks. Your customers see your organization as one entity, yet internally, your employees are divided into departments and geographic locations.