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USB-C Will Be Mandatory From 2025 For All Saudi Smart Devices
The adoption of a standard charging port for all electronic devices will offer significant convenience, efficiency, and sustainability advantages.
Saudi Arabia has announced that USB Type-C will become the standardized connector for most electronic devices from January 1, 2025. The move will save over SAR 170 million and reduce a large volume of electronic waste.
According to the “Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization and the Communications, Space, and Technology Commission”, the implementation of USB-C charging ports for all electronic devices will occur in a two-phase rollout. The first will begin on January 1, 2025, and include mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, e-readers, portable speakers, and more. The second phase will start on April 1, 2026, and will include laptops.
الإعلان عن المراحل الإلزامية لتوحيد منافذ الشحن للهواتف المتنقلة والأجهزة الإلكترونية بالمملكة. pic.twitter.com/iar7SqV8Vw
— المواصفات السعودية (@SASOGOV) August 6, 2023
The adoption of USB-C charging ports for all electronic devices offers several advantages. User convenience, efficiency, and sustainability improve, while device management for businesses also becomes simplified.
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USB-C has already become a widely adopted standard across various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The port supports higher power delivery and data transfer rates and enables faster charging and data synchronization.
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UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
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The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.