News

Apple’s Glowtime Event: Key Announcements & How To Watch

Apple’s upcoming keynote is expected to reveal the iPhone 16, iOS 18, Apple Watch X, and new AirPods, with a focus on AI.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 27, 2024

Nour Nasir

Apple

Apple’s latest and highly anticipated iPhone event is just around the corner, with the Cupertino company expected to unveil the iPhone 16 and reveal updates on iOS 18. The event, scheduled for September 9th, was announced using an Apple logo adorned with overlapping colors and the tagline “It’s Glowtime”.

The design echoes the invitation for June’s Worldwide Developers Conference, where Apple introduced its new AI suite, Apple Intelligence. It’s likely that the upcoming event will continue this conversation in addition to revealing new hardware.

How To Watch Apple’s Glowtime Event

Apple’s keynote is scheduled for Monday, September 9th, at 10:00 AM PT (8:00 PM Beirut, 9:00 PM Dubai).

The event will be livestreamed on Apple’s website and YouTube. In addition, you’ll also be able to watch via the Apple TV app.

Anticipated Features: AI-Powered iPhones & Enhanced Cameras

During June’s WWDC keynote, Apple introduced Apple Intelligence, a collection of AI-driven features including a smarter Siri, AI-powered writing tools, and ChatGPT integration. The iPhone 16 is expected to be the first to launch with these features fully integrated, following their introduction on the iPhone 15 Pro models.

In tandem with these AI advancements, the public rollout of iOS 18 is expected. This new operating system will offer customizable home and lock screens, an upgraded Control Center, and RCS messaging support, making communication with Android users more seamless.

Apple is also likely to showcase improvements in iPhone hardware, particularly in the camera department. Rumors suggest that the iPhone 16 lineup may feature larger image sensors and a new physical camera button, positioned alongside the Action button from last year’s iPhone 15 Pro models. This button could also introduce swipe gestures for zooming in and out.

Also Read: Yango Group Unveils Yasmina AI-Enhanced Smart Speakers For UAE

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that the iPhone 16 Pro will include a 5x optical zoom lens, eliminating the need to upgrade to the Pro Max for this feature. Another analyst, Jeff Pu, speculates that the ultrawide cameras on the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max could jump from 12 megapixels to an impressive 48 megapixels.

The base iPhone 16 and 16 Plus models might feature vertically stacked cameras, a design change that could enhance their ability to shoot spatial videos. These videos appear in 2D on a regular iPhone but are designed to deliver a 3D effect when viewed on Apple’s Vision Pro headset.

Apple Watch X: The Next Generation

Apple is also expected to unveil the 10th generation of its Watch series, likely named the Apple Watch X, continuing the tradition set by the iPhone X. This new model should feature a slimmer design and larger screen sizes, along with advanced health monitoring capabilities like blood-pressure tracking and sleep apnea detection. Additionally, the Apple Watch X may introduce a new magnetic band attachment system.

New AirPods: Enhanced Design & Features

As reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple might also debut two new AirPods models during the event. These redesigned headphones are expected to feature shorter stems, USB-C charging support, and possibly Active Noise Cancellation, traditionally reserved for the AirPods Pro.

News

Paymob Extends Series B Funding To $72M Amid Continued Growth

The financial services provider has secured an extra $22 million after strong performance in its core market of Egypt.

Published

23 hours ago

September 12, 2024

Nour Nasir

paymob extends series b funding to $72 million amid continued growth

Leading financial services provider Paymob has secured an additional $22 million in a funding extension, bringing its Series B total to $72 million.

The funding was spearheaded by EBRD Venture Capital, with support from Endeavor Catalyst. Existing backers such as PayPal Ventures, BII, FMO, A15, Nclude, and Helios Digital Ventures also participated, reaffirming their confidence in Paymob’s business model and potential in the regional fintech industry.

This extension comes on the back of Paymob’s strong performance in its core market of Egypt, where it has experienced 6x revenue growth since the initial Series B in Q2 2022. With the Series B extension and continued profitability in Egypt, Paymob is well-positioned to further its expansion strategy across the MENA region.

Islam Shawky, Co-founder and CEO of Paymob, commented: “We are very excited by our strong prospects in Egypt – where we hold a market-leading position – and the significant traction experienced in the UAE since launching operations there. This funding will help Paymob fully capitalize on the momentum in our established markets, as we accelerate our GCC roll-out. We remain committed to creating cutting-edge infrastructure enabling SMEs across the region to thrive in the digital economy and are proud of our continued impact”.

Also Read: Zoho Expands Qatar Operations & Releases New Survey Data

The expansion into GCC markets has been driven by Paymob’s initial Series B funding of $50 million, raised in 2022 and led by Kora Capital, PayPal Ventures, and Clay Point. The investment fueled Paymob’s growth, allowing it to launch its mobile app in 2023 and grow its merchant base by 3.5 times, now serving nearly 350,000 merchants across MENA.

Paymob has also expanded its payment acceptance suite to offer 50 payment methods through its gateway, POS terminals, and the Paymob app, providing the region’s most comprehensive fintech solution. The company recently introduced embedded checkout services for Shopify and WooCommerce, further demonstrating its commitment to empowering small and medium businesses across the region.