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Apple Fitness+ To Launch In UAE On November 3
To get the most out of the Fitness+ experience, it’s necessary to have iOS 15.1 because the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system enables a feature called SharePlay.
Apple has announced that its on-demand fitness subscription service, Apple Fitness+, is coming to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other countries on November 3.
Fitness+ was first announced during the company’s September 2020 Special Event, and it launched the same year in December. The service revolves around the Apple Watch, which is used to gather real-time workout data that are overlayed on top of guided workout videos spanning many different activities, including strength training, yoga, dancing, cycling, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and others.
“We created Fitness+ so everyone would have a place they feel inspired and motivated, no matter where they are on their fitness journey,” said Jay Blahnik, Apple’s vice president of Fitness Technologies. “We are so excited to be available to millions more people as we bring Fitness+ to 15 new countries next week, and can’t wait for them to meet our welcoming trainer team”.
Apple
Here’s a full list of the countries where Apple Fitness+ will launch on November 3: Austria, Brazil, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates. In all these countries, the service will be available in English, with subtitles in Brazilian Portuguese, English, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish.
To join a virtual workout session, you’ll require three things:
- Apple Watch Series 3 or later
- iPhone 6s or later
- Apple Fitness+ subscription
Two subscription options are available: a monthly subscription that costs AED 36.99 per month and an annual subscription that costs AED 149.99 per year. Fitness+ is also included in the Apple One Premier plan, which costs AED 84.95 per month for up to six family members and also includes access to Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and iCloud+ with 2 TB of storage.
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To get the most out of the Fitness+ experience, it’s necessary to have iOS 15.1 because the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system enables a feature called SharePlay. With it, up to 32 friends and family members can work out together using FaceTime to keep one another motivated.
News
Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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