News

Nokia Has Just Revealed Its New Logo

“In most people’s minds, we are still a successful mobile phone brand, but this is not what Nokia is about.”

Published

3 years ago

February 27, 2023

Nour Nasir

Nokia

It’s hard to believe that Nokia — the famous Finnish phone manufacturer — has been in the electronics industry since the early 1960s. Even more Amazingly, the company has managed to cling to its iconic logo for over four decades.

Now, for the first time in nearly 45 years, the once mighty smartphone corporation will change its branding. Last Sunday, before the Mobile World Congress Barcelona opening day, the company revealed a new corporate identity. Out goes the iconic blue typeface, and in its place, a sleek, modern replacement.

“We are updating our strategy, and, as a key enabler, we are also refreshing our brand to reflect who we are today: a business-to-business technology innovation leader pioneering the future where networks meet cloud […] In most people’s minds, we are still a successful mobile phone brand, but this is not what Nokia is about,” says Pekka Lundmark, Nokia CEO.

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The company’s phones haven’t been made by the “real Nokia” since Microsoft’s massive $7 billion takeover back in 2014. After the tech giant parted company with Nokia in 2016, former Nokia executives acquired the rights to use the brand for smartphones and tablets. There’s no word yet as to whether future phones will continue to sport the classic logo or not, but many nostalgic tech enthusiasts would surely be disappointed to see the blue font disappear.

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

5 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.

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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.