News

Public Betas Of iOS 17, iPadOS 17 & watchOS 10 Are Here

Early adopters can use an Apple Beta Software Program account to download the latest updates.

Published

3 years ago

July 13, 2023

public betas of ios 17, ipados 17, and watchos 10 are here

For many tech fans, there’s something exciting about taking new versions of an operating system for a test drive — especially if we get to do it before an official release. For Apple aficionados looking to freshen up their old devices, it’s a great time to join the free Apple Beta Software Program and download a copy of the just-released betas of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and even macOS Sonoma.

The new iOS 17 includes a host of updates, from a fresh new design to practical improvements. Here are a few of the highlights:

Users can customize what people see when called — whether that’s a cute emoji or a photo.
Calls sent to voicemail can be viewed as live transcriptions across the screen.
Video or audio messages can be sent to people who don’t pick up a FaceTime call.
Your voice can be muted and unmuted right from your AirPods.
More accurate autocorrect and sentence predictions will improve text inputs.

Additional features include the ability to automatically check in to let friends know you’ve arrived home safely and a way to locate car charging stations in real-time within Maps routes.

Also Read: Google Launches Arabic Version Of AI Chat Tool Bard

Much like previous updates, iPadOS 17 seems to be playing catch up yet again. The latest version adds custom lock screens, the health app, and interactive widgets. Meanwhile, WatchOS 10 is a more substantial revamp for Apple Watch fans, overhauling major apps and improving several fitness features. For desktop users, MacOS Sonoma brings iOS-style widgets, upgrades the Safari browser with multiple user profiles, and adds polish to video calls.

Official versions of Apple’s various operating symptoms will most likely drop in early Q4 of 2023, but you can sign up for Apple’s Beta Software Program if you want to try the beta versions now.

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.

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.