News

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Hints At Under-Screen Face ID

Rumors are also circulating about new silicon and a split launch cycle as Apple tests bigger batteries, satellite 5G, and updated colors.

Published

7 months ago

January 21, 2026

Nour Nasir

iphone 18 pro leaks hints at under-screen face id

Apple’s next Pro iPhones may hide Face ID hardware under the screen, leaving only a small selfie camera cut-out pushed to the top-left. The Dynamic Island would shrink but stay relatively unchanged as a software-based feature for alerts and Live Activities. It’s the clearest sign of a front redesign after years of incremental changes.

Renders on Chinese platforms show the Pro and Pro Max keeping their rear look while testing new Burgundy, Brown and Purple finishes. The Pro Max is tipped for a 6.9-inch LTPO 120 Hz display and a 5,100 mAh battery. The regular Pro sticks to 6.3 inches. Lower-tier models such as the iPhone 18 and Air 2 would retain the Dynamic Island and 120 Hz panels at 6.3 and 6.5 inches.

Photography controls could also change again: Reports say Apple is dropping the capacitive camera button for a pressure-based mechanism with firmer feedback and simpler manufacturing. A variable-aperture main camera is also being tested to handle lighting shifts without heavy computational tricks, a feature already seen on select Android flagships.

Silicon is moving in-house: Pro models are rumored to run an A20 Pro chip on a 2 nm process and a C2 modem instead of Qualcomm parts, underscoring Apple’s bid to control radio performance and supply. Satellite-based 5G is also being explored beyond emergency SOS to provide basic connectivity when terrestrial coverage fails. Coverage gaps in remote regions, including many parts of the MENA region, make that push relevant for roaming and tourism.

Timing may be the bigger shake-up: Multiple tipsters point to a two-season cycle, with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max appearing in September 2026, then the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 in March 2027. A cheaper iPhone 17e could land in between, hinting at tighter segmentation and smoother production loads for Apple’s supply chain.

Also Read: Belkin Launches Wireless HDMI Adapter With 131-Foot Range

None of this is confirmed. Display specs come from Digital Chat Station, a prolific Weibo leaker with prior Apple hits. The volume of detail suggests Apple is preparing a more assertive hardware refresh after conservative moves on recent generations.

News

Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments

Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.

Published

4 days ago

August 1, 2026

Nour Nasir

syria just got its first super app featuring built-in digital payments

For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.

Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.

Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.

my syria super app launch event

The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.

Also Read: This UAE Platform Wants To Replace Fashion Photo Shoots With AI

The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.

For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.