News

Instagram DMs Just Got A New Location-Sharing Feature

The latest platform update also lets you add nicknames for yourself and your contacts in private chats.

Published

8 months ago

November 26, 2024

Nour Nasir

Instagram

On Monday, a new Instagram update dropped offering several new features for DMs. The platform now allows you to share your live location with contacts and gains the ability to add nicknames to chats, along with 300 new stickers to share in conversations.

The location-sharing feature is switched off by default and can be enabled for up to one hour, making it extremely useful for concerts or crowded events. Only people in your private (one-to-one or group) DMs can see location data, and they can’t forward the information to anyone outside of the chat.

Another new feature, Nicknames, allows you to add custom aliases for yourself and friends inside DMs. Instagram says the feature is ideal to “share an inside joke with a nickname, or simplify lengthy usernames so your friends are easier to recognize”.

Also Read: How To Find & Cancel Pending Instagram Requests

Nicknames only appear in DMs, and can’t be seen elsewhere on Instagram. Users can pick or swap nicknames and choose which friends have permission to change theirs. To create a new alias, simply tap on a chat name at the top of a conversation and select “Nicknames”.

Finally, Instagram has also added 17 new sticker packs containing 300+ individual stickers. The new additions can be added to DMs and favorites can be set for easy repeat use.

News

Saudi EV Adoption Accelerates With BYD Expansion & Tesla Launch

Saudi Arabia’s EV market is gaining momentum as BYD plans major showroom growth and Tesla establishes a foothold in Riyadh.

Published

2 days ago

July 16, 2025

Nour Nasir

saudi ev adoption accelerates with byd expansion and tesla launch

Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to become a regional hub for electric mobility are drawing greater investment from global automakers. As part of Vision 2030, the Kingdom is targeting 30% electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the capital, Riyadh, by the end of the decade — an objective that’s now shaping the strategic interests of international EV brands.

Chinese manufacturer BYD is planning a substantial thrust into the Saudi market, building on its current footprint of three showrooms. According to Jerome Saigot, BYD’s managing director in the Kingdom, the company aims to open 10 showrooms by the end of 2026.

“Saudi Arabia is a complex market. You need to go fast. You need to think big,” Saigot recently told reporters. “We are not here to stay at 5,000 or 10,000 cars a year”.

The announcement follows Tesla’s entry into the Saudi EV space, with the US automaker opening its first showroom in Riyadh in April. Tesla joins early players like BYD and Geely in what remains a nascent but strategically important segment for the Kingdom.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has also ramped up its electric mobility agenda. Its efforts include major investments in Lucid Motors, the creation of local EV brand Ceer, and support for the rollout of national charging infrastructure.

Also Read: Twitch Launches Arabic Right-To-Left Interface For Web & Mobile

However, electric vehicles still only account for just over 1% of total car sales in Saudi Arabia, according to data from PwC cited by Bloomberg. Key challenges include high upfront costs, limited public charging access, and the added complexity of operating in extreme heat conditions.

In spite of those hurdles, Saigot views Tesla’s entry as a net positive. “The more Tesla communicates on marketing, the better it is for us,” he said. Saigot joined BYD in April, having previously held executive roles at Nissan and Great Wall Motor.

With multiple brands scaling up activity in parallel — and government-backed infrastructure investment underway — Saudi Arabia’s EV sector appears set for rapid acceleration over the next few years.