News

Samsung Reveals AI Camera Overhaul Ahead Of S26 Launch

Natural-language photo edits and AI composites will feature in the Galaxy camera app, in preparation for the launch of the Galaxy S26 next week.

Published

6 months ago

February 18, 2026

Nour Nasir

samsung reveals ai camera overhaul ahead of s26 launch

Samsung is baking generative AI directly into its Galaxy camera app, folding advanced editing tools into the core shooting interface ahead of next week’s Galaxy S26 reveal at Galaxy Unpacked.

The update from the Korean tech giant centers on natural-language editing. Users will be able to type or speak commands to alter images inside the native camera environment — no exporting, and no third-party apps will be required.

Among the features Samsung previewed was a way to change the time of day in a photo from bright afternoon to night; restoring missing elements, such as filling in a bite taken out of food; and merging subjects from multiple images into one composite frame. The upgrades mean that tasks once requiring desktop software and considerable design skills will soon be available as basic in-camera tools.

Samsung says the system is built on what it calls its “brightest Galaxy camera system ever,” tying the AI layer to upgraded hardware in the S26 line. The company describes the result as a “fluid creative process,” combining capture, editing and sharing in a single workflow.

The timing of Samsung’s announcement is deliberate. Smartphone makers are racing to anchor generative AI in daily use, not as a novelty feature but as basic infrastructure. By embedding editing at the point of capture, Samsung is signaling that the camera app — not a standalone AI tool — is where this shift plays out.

Also Read: RØDE Adds Direct iPhone Pairing To Wireless GO And Pro Mics

For the Middle East, where mobile-first creators are beginning to drive everything from retail to short-form video production, frictionless editing carries a huge speed and tech advantage. As Gulf markets double down on digitalization agendas, devices that compress production time increasingly double as genuine business tools.

Samsung will detail hardware specifications and the full software stack when the Galaxy S26 series breaks cover at Unpacked. The camera, clearly, is where the company wants the AI story to land.

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.