News

WhatsApp Introduces Flows For Improved In-App Shopping

The company plans to build rich experiences for other business types, too.

Published

1 year ago

September 21, 2023

whatsapp introduces flows for improved in-app shopping

WhatsApp is improving shopping experiences for both e-commerce merchants and their customers through a new feature called Flows. The add-on lets WhatsApp users complete tasks such as booking a seat on a flight or making an appointment without leaving the messaging app.

When using Flows, merchants will benefit from tools such as text boxes, calendars and a seat picker. These features will allow e-commerce companies to build rich experiences while improving booking and payment workflows. The Flows support page gives multiple examples of how the new service can be used, including booking appointments, product customization, account logins, form filling, and signing up for events.

WhatsApp said it had been testing Flows with businesses including Brazilian bank Banco Pan, retailer MagaLu, tech giant Lenovo, Indian travel service redBus, and car-reselling platform Spinny.

“Shopping and e-commerce is one of the biggest verticals we want to focus on. The goal is to enable business messaging in a way that businesses and people can do a lot more right in the chat thread. We are trying to build rich experiences within the chat, and that’s where Flows comes in,” said Nikila Srinivasan, Meta’s VP of business messaging.

Flows will become available over the coming months, and Meta will not initially charge merchants separately for the service. Currently, only e-commerce businesses can utilize Flows’ features, though WhatsApp has plans to develop rich experiences for other business verticals as well.

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

Earlier this year, WhatsApp’s business app surpassed the 200 million monthly active users mark. The messaging company said it had also started testing a personalized messages feature for merchants, which was announced this June. The service lets businesses send custom notifications such as discounts or offers to select patrons.

News

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.

Published

5 days ago

December 17, 2024

Nour Nasir

uae prepares to launch two satellites thuraya-2 and mbz-sat

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.

Also Read: IBM Opens New Doha Office To Support Qatar’s Digital Growth

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.