Last week, Apple launched RED, a special-edition iPhone. An undisclosed portion of sales of the phone will support The Global Fund to Fight AIDS. But the product is strangely missing from the Chinese version of Apple’s website, which promotes a red phone but has no mention of the disease. Apple didn’t respond to my question about why that’s the ...
Read More »US begins crackdown on visa program in tech sector
Bloomberg The US administration began to deliver on President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to crack down on a work visa program that channels thousands of skilled overseas workers to companies across the technology industry. Fed up with a program it says favours foreign workers at the expense of Americans, the Trump administration rolled out a trio of policy shifts. ...
Read More »Japan’s Rakuten bets on post-app future with new gaming service
Bloomberg Rakuten Inc. is betting on a future without apps. The e-commerce company unveiled Rakuten Games on Tuesday, seeking to deliver titles that don’t have to be installed on phones or personal computers. The games can be played on web browsers or within other apps, making it easier for users to play with each other without having to wait ...
Read More »Virtual reality catches in on theme park industry
Bloomberg Virtual reality is catching on in China. Just ask Zhang Yimou, the man who choreographed the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. SoReal, a startup co-founded by the famed director of “House of Flying Daggers†and “The Great Wall,†is preparing to open this year what it bills to be the world’s first virtual-reality park. “As a ...
Read More »Technology overthrows financials as king of emerging markets
Bloomberg The rally in technology stocks may have more room to run after the industry overthrew financials as the main driver of emerging market shares last quarter. Firms from South Korean phone makers to China’s biggest internet company helped drive a 17 percent surge in technology shares in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index in the first quarter, the best ...
Read More »UAE shares gain AED6bn
ABU DHABI / WAM UAE stock markets rose on Monday, led by a higher real estate sector, amidst high sentiments among companies and individuals alike. The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) rose for the second straight session supported by a hike in a number of real estate shares and Etisalat’s share which rose to AED17.95, thus edging towards the ...
Read More »Aviation, tourism sector to drive Mideast economy
SHARJAH / WAM The aviation and tourism industry in the Middle East is set to be a driving force for the region’s economy, according to the 6th Arab Aviation Summit’s white paper report released on Monday. The region is expected to deliver a 5 percent growth, and connect an extra 258 million passengers to and from its airports by ...
Read More »Sharjah FDI expected to break AED1bn barrier by 2017 end
Sharjah / WAM The Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah), the FDI office operating under the Government of Sharjah, has announced the emirate’s total foreign direct investment is expected to exceed a record AED 1 billion by the end of the year – an anticipated growth of 15 percent on 2016. The figures are a massive testament to Sharjah’s focus ...
Read More »UAE ranks first in MENA for number of exhibitions
Sharjah /Â WAM A report published by Explori, an exhibition industry insights provider, showed the United Arab Emirates has ranked 1st in the MENA region for organising and hosting exhibitions. The report results were revealed during a meeting held by the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) at Expo Centre Sharjah. The meeting was presided by Saif Mohammed Al-Midfa, ...
Read More »IPS showcases properties worth AED1trn in Dubai
Dubai / WAM In yet a new sign of the stability of the UAE realty market, the 13th edition of the International Property Show (IPS) the Middle East’s biggest real estate sales platform, started in Dubai, showcasing property worth AED1 trillion, according to real estate sources. IPS is an innovative event held annually in Dubai for international and local companies ...
Read More »