News

Samsung Unpacked 2024: Key Product Announcements

The hotly anticipated Galaxy Unpacked event showed off the company’s premium new smartphones for the first time, and revealed an unexpected new wearable.

Published

6 months ago

January 18, 2024

Nour Nasir

Samsung

South Korean tech giant Samsung has started 2024 by unveiling the Galaxy S24 series at the highly anticipated Galaxy Unpacked event. The new smartphones come equipped with on-device generative AI, enhanced specifications, and upgraded camera capabilities.

As customary for Samsung’s early-year events, the S24 flagship phones took center stage. This year, the spotlight was on generative AI, a technology that has gained prominence with the arrival of ChatGPT, Google Bard and more. The Galaxy S24 series is among the first phones to launch with Qualcomm’s cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which features on-device generative AI capabilities.

The S24 series combines on-device and cloud-based generative AI, referred to as Galaxy AI, to deliver a range of innovative features. Some of these features, like live translation and text message tone suggestions, may sound familiar, while others, such as converting regular-speed videos into slow-motion by generating extra frames, are entirely new.

The top-tier model in the S24 series, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, has received substantial upgrades. It now boasts a titanium body, a 50-megapixel 5x optical camera for sharper distance photography (replacing the 10-megapixel 10x optical zoom camera), and comes with 12GB of RAM.

The standard S24 and S24+ models have fewer upgrades, with slightly larger screens and improved resolutions compared to their predecessors. The S24+ now shares the same Quad HD Plus resolution display as the S24 Ultra. Battery capacities have also increased slightly.

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Samsung has also stepped up efforts to incorporate more recycled materials in the devices, including using cobalt in batteries and rare earth elements in speakers. Notably, Galaxy S24 phones will now receive seven years of Android and security updates, extending their lifespan into 2031.

Towards the end of the event, Samsung unveiled upcoming enhancements to Samsung Health, particularly in the realm of sleep tracking and other health metrics. The event’s climax was the surprise announcement of the Galaxy Ring, a device expected to be equipped with various sensors for continuous health monitoring throughout the day.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Pricing

Pricing for the Samsung Galaxy S24 starts at $800, the S24+ begins at $1,000, and the S24 Ultra will set enthusiasts back $1,300. Prices are in line with last year’s models, with the increase in the S24 Ultra attributed to the use of more durable materials.

News

Mamo Completes $3.4M Funding Round To Enhance Fintech Services

The startup will use the influx of cash to expand into Saudi Arabia and across the wider GCC while improving its product offering.

Published

21 hours ago

July 25, 2024

Nour Nasir

Mamo

UAE-based fintech Mamo has announced the completion of a $3.4 million funding round that will help the startup extend its market presence and improve its product offering. Investors included 4DX Ventures, the Dubai Future District Fund and Cyfr Capital.

Mamo’s platform offers “payment collection, corporate cards and expense management” to help small and medium-sized businesses consolidate and streamline their operations. With the latest influx of capital, Mamo will further develop its comprehensive suite of services and begin testing its product lines in Saudi Arabia, further extending its footprint across the GCC.

Imad Gharazeddine, co-founder and CEO of Mamo, stated: “We’ve been in the market for a while now and are incredibly proud of what our team has achieved. The holistic and expansive nature of our product offering has helped us continue to grow sustainably. This additional funding will allow us to reach our medium-term goals even faster. The support from new and existing investors is a testament to our strong expertise and the ability to deliver on our customer promise”.

Daniel Marlo, General Partner of lead investor 4DX Ventures, added: “We have immense trust in Imad’s vision, leadership and Mamo’s innovative approach to provide a user-friendly and comprehensive financial solution for SMEs that makes financial management more accessible and efficient. We are proud to partner with them and support their mission”.

Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East

Amer Fatayer, Managing Director of Dubai Future District Fund’s investment team, also commented: “Mamo’s localized product lines serve as an infrastructure for SME payments and spend management in UAE, a segment that is underserved by the country’s current banking infrastructure. The team has taken a product-first approach to consolidating SMEs’ financial journeys and building a fintech solution deeply embedded in a business’s core operations”.

To date, Mamo has raised around $13 million in investment funding and now boasts a team of 30 people. The company’s intuitive financial services platform has allowed over 1,000 businesses to consolidate their financial operations and significantly reduce payment fees.