News
iOS 17.2 Is Here With A New Journal App And Spatial Videos
The update also includes a host of smaller features for Weather and Messages, plus a translation option for the Action Button.
Apple’s iOS 17.2 update has now arrived for recent iPhones. The update features Apple’s new Journal app, which includes prompts from data on your phone, as well as a new option to record spatial videos.
Apple has been dropping hints about the new journal app since the summer of 2023. It’s designed to encourage users to write about day to day events and accompany key moments with photos from your iPhone.
Meanwhile, there are also key additions to the camera, bringing Spatial Video to the new iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, as well as improved telephoto camera focus. In addition, the new Action Button also gains some new abilities, including the ability to access the Translate tool. This will enable easier conversations across languages or help users to quickly translate a page.
Updates have also come to Apple’s Messages app. There’s a new catch-up arrow that’ll take you down to the first unread message within a thread and Contact Key Verification so you know who you’re chatting with.
Also Read: Top E-Commerce Websites In The Middle East In 2023
The Weather app will now tell you how much it’s expected to rain or snow, while an improved selection of widgets adds things like wind speed, air quality, and a “feels like” temperature. There’s also a new wind map and an interactive moon calendar.
The update also features a bunch of improvements and bug fixes, including AirDrop enhancements in the Wallet app, while older iPhones now get support for Qi2 wireless charging.
How To Download iOS 17.2
You can access the iOS 17.2 update by tapping the Settings cog on your iPhone and then heading to General > Software Update.
News
UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
Also Read: IBM Opens New Doha Office To Support Qatar’s Digital Growth
The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.