News

Bahrain Plans To Develop 300 Smart Factories By 2026

The iFactories initiative will adopt the top regional and global practices to ensure sustainability and raise productivity.

Published

1 year ago

August 29, 2023

Nour Nasir

bahrain plans to develop 300 smart factories by 2026

Bahrain has launched an initiative to support its manufacturing sector as the world moves closer towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The initiative is known as iFactories and will assess factories’ readiness and digital maturity while allowing businesses to invest in new infrastructure and manufacturing automation technologies.

Abdullah bin Abdel Fakhro, Bahrain’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, said the initiative aims to transform 300 manufacturing facilities into smart factories by 2026.

The initiative will use a four-step process:

Evaluation by the ministry with technical assistance to conduct self-evaluation.
Evaluation by a team of accredited evaluators.
Empowerment, involving the factory creating a digital transformation plan.
Development, with the ministry monitoring the transformation process.

Dr. Khaled Fahad Al Alawi, Assistant Undersecretary for Industrial Development, explained that smart factories would be evaluated using the SIRI index, an international standard based on applying practices and tools centered around the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

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The latest initiative is part of broader plans to drive growth by modernizing Bahrain’s industrial sector and encouraging businesses to automate and expand their operations.

News

Samsung Smart Glasses Teased For January, Software Reveal Imminent

According to Korean sources, the new wearable will launch alongside the Galaxy S25, with the accompanying software platform unveiled this December.

Published

16 hours ago

December 4, 2024

Nour Nasir

samsung smart glasses teased for january software reveal imminent

Samsung appears poised to introduce its highly anticipated smart glasses in January 2025, alongside the launch of the Galaxy S25. According to sources in Korea, the company will first reveal the accompanying software platform later this month.

As per a report from Yonhap News, Samsung’s unveiling strategy for the smart glasses echoes its approach with the Galaxy Ring earlier this year. The January showcase won’t constitute a full product launch but will likely feature teaser visuals at the Galaxy S25 event. A more detailed rollout could follow in subsequent months.

Just in: Samsung is set to unveil a prototype of its augmented reality (AR) glasses, currently in development, during the Galaxy S25 Unpacked event early next year, likely in the form of videos or images.

Additionally, prior to revealing the prototype, Samsung plans to introduce…

— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) December 3, 2024

The Galaxy Ring, for example, debuted in January via a short presentation during Samsung’s Unpacked event. The full product unveiling came later at MWC in February, and the final release followed in July. Samsung seems to be adopting a similar phased approach with its smart glasses, which are expected to hit the market in the third quarter of 2025.

A Collaborative Software Effort

Samsung’s partnership with Google has played a key role in developing the smart glasses’ software. This collaboration was first announced in February 2023, with the device set to run on an Android-based platform. In July, the companies reiterated their plans to deliver an extended reality (XR) platform by the end of the year. The software specifics for the XR device are expected to be unveiled before the end of December.

Reports suggest that the smart glasses will resemble Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in functionality. They won’t include a display but will weigh approximately 50 grams, emphasizing a lightweight, user-friendly design.

Feature Set And Compatibility

The glasses are rumored to integrate Google’s Gemini technology, alongside features like gesture recognition and potential payment capabilities. Samsung aims to create a seamless user experience by integrating the glasses with its broader Galaxy ecosystem, starting with the Galaxy S25, slated for release on January 22.