The number of Arabic-language mobile applications is expected to grow significantly over the next year as regional organisations invest in the development of new content.
The value of the global market for apps development will be US$6.2 billion (Dh22.77bn) this year and should grow to $22.1bn in 2013, according to figures from the technology research company Gartner.
Sales of smartphones, the devices that are ideally suited to run mobile apps, are expected to increase 39 per cent annually, according to a recent report by Pyramid Research.
As of April, at least 185,000 applications were available on the iTunes App Store, with more than 4 billion copies of applications downloaded. It is unknown how many apps are in Arabic, but many were made outside the region.
There is only one Arabic application ranked among the top 10 paid apps in the UAE's iTunes App Store.
Given the dearth of quality and quantity in Arabic-language apps, it is no surprise that several organisations see a market that needs to be supplied.
Programmes from Egypt's Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) and Twofour54 ibtikar, the business-incubation arm of Abu Dhabi's media zone, have recently been introduced to foster the creation of Arabic mobile apps in the region.
The Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF), an industry lobbying group, has also chosen to set up a new "innovation" office in Doha that aims to put a larger spotlight on Arabic content for phones.
"The objective is to help to create a sustainable industry for app development in the MENA region," said David Ashford, the general manager for AppsArabia, the mobile app fund controlled by Twofour54.
"If you break that down, what do we have to do to make that sustainable? We have to help [developers make] money out of apps. Whether they're designers, directors, project managers, consultants, all these people need to be paid a fair price for their services."
Since launching last month, AppsArabia has signed up 165 members and has received 13 investment applications. The programme will provide training, seed funding, marketing assistance and other mentoring.
"The thing that excites me most is that 13 people have come to me with ideas for me to invest in them, and I'm on track to make my first investment in a couple of weeks," Mr Ashford said.
ITIDA, a Cairo-based technology hub, has also expressed interest in getting entrepreneurs to build apps. Its programme, called Mobile Apps Academy, will be open to Egyptian youths who have good applications ideas and will provide training, funding and subsidies to support technology start-ups.
"We are going to provide independent entrepreneurship courses that will give developers a flavour of how they can drive a single mobile app to a company," said Ahmed Laiali, who will manage the technology incubation programme for ITIDA.
There is also an opportunity to get locally made apps recognised on an international level, said Sarah Roberts, MEF's general manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Ms Roberts recently opened a mobile innovation centre in Doha that will bring together network operators and content creators to discuss ways to improve the apps environment in the region.
"Apps are certainly a buzz topic, and we're looking to partner with Gitex [the annual technology show in Dubai] to publicise and promote that aspect of the industry," Ms Roberts said.
Network operators have also made some nascent forays into the Arabic-apps world. Etisalat has already released three iPhone apps including a local business directory.
dgeorgecosh@thenational.ae
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Teenage%20Mutant%20Ninja%20Turtles%3A%20Shredder's%20Revenge
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
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It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE