Today, Apple revealed plans to open Apple Al Ain, its newest store in the United Arab Emirates, set to launch next year. This will mark Apple’s fifth retail location in the UAE, underscoring the company’s ongoing investment in and commitment to the region.

Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, expressed enthusiasm for the expansion, “The UAE is home to an incredible community of creators, innovators, developers, and entrepreneurs, and we’re excited to keep growing our teams, supporting local businesses, and strengthening our ties with our customers here. We’re thrilled to open our newest store in Abu Dhabi and to keep sharing the magic of Apple with even more people.”

In recent years, Apple has significantly accelerated its investments in the UAE, creating new opportunities for local companies and developers, and expanding its workforce. Over the past five years, Apple has invested more than 6 billion AED in the UAE, supporting over 38,000 jobs across the country through direct employment, spending with Emirati companies, and the thriving iOS app economy.

The new Apple Store in Al Ain will provide an engaging shopping and learning experience, showcasing Apple’s most innovative products. Apple launched its online store in the UAE in September 2011 and opened its first physical stores in 2015, with Apple Yas Mall and Apple Mall of the Emirates. Since then, Apple’s dedicated team members have been delivering exceptional service and support, helping customers explore and purchase the latest Apple products.

Last month, Apple’s first spatial computer, Apple Vision Pro, made its debut in the UAE, offering customers and developers powerful new spatial experiences. This innovative device seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world, transforming how people work, collaborate, connect, relive memories, and enjoy entertainment.

The Emirati developer community continues to thrive, contributing significantly to the local economy. Since the App Store’s launch, UAE developers have earned nearly 5 billion AED from their apps, with earnings growing by over 750% since 2019. The arrival of Apple Vision Pro provides developers with a new platform to create immersive spatial experiences for users in the region and beyond.

Yango Group has announced the launch of its flagship smart speaker, Yasmina Max. Equipped with the human-like AI assistant Yasmina, this speaker delivers exceptional sound quality along with an interactive LED screen. Yasmina Max allows you to fully appreciate music, featuring a three-way sound system and five distinct drivers for bass, midrange, and treble, along with a passive radiator, all powered by 65 watts of impressive audio performance. Yasmina Max’s high-quality microphones make it easy to interact with it, even in a noisy room.

Users can transform their entire home into an interconnected audio space by placing Yasmina Max alongside other Yasmina smart speakers, such as Yasmina Mini and Yasmina Midi, in every room. With Multiroom Mode, you can enjoy seamless, synchronised music playback throughout your living spaces. To activate the multiroom mode, simply link the speakers to one account, connect them to the same Wi-Fi network, and say, “Yasmina, play music everywhere.”

Yasmina Max has an LED screen that adjusts its brightness based on the room’s lighting. When the speaker is turned off, the screen displays the time, and when music is playing, it shows a dynamic visual representation of the audio. It also uses the screen to supplement answers with animations. For example, the AI assistant can show the weather forecast or express an emotion when you ask, “Yasmina, how are you?”

Powered by a cutting-edge GPT model, YangoGPT, Yasmina is more than just a smart assistant. It engages in human-like conversations in both Khaleeji Arabic and English. The assistant simplifies daily tasks by providing help with decision-making, generating new ideas, and clarifying complex concepts. Simply ask, “Yasmina, how many grams of beans do I need for 2 cups of Arabic coffee?” or “Yasmina, how can I plan a surprise party for my best friend?”

“Apart from its superior technological characteristics, Yasmina Max offers a sophisticated design. Available in three colours — green, beige, and black — it is crafted to complement any interior, making it the perfect addition to any GCC home,” said Rami Abu Arja, Senior Innovation Marketing Manager at Yasmina, Yango Middle East. To fully enjoy everything Yasmina Max has to offer, including music streaming and recommendations, users need to activate a subscription to Yango Play.

Yango Play is an AI-powered entertainment super app that offers an extensive library of movies, series, TV channels, mini-games, music, and more. With an active subscription, Yasmina suggests songs, plays music that suits the user’s mood and recognises family members, adapting its recommendations to match each person’s preferences. Yasmina Max is now available for purchase through various outlets across the UAE, with an exclusive one-month partnership with the retail outlet Virgin Megastore. Customers can also find Yasmina Max online on Noon, and, for the first time, Amazon. The smart speaker is currently priced at AED 1199.

Huawei is set to host a highly anticipated launch event in Dubai this December, where the company will unveil several innovative products that promise to redefine the tech landscape. The event marks a pivotal moment for the brand, unveiling groundbreaking products like the HUAWEI Mate X6, HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4, and HUAWEI nova 13 Series. The new products will set new benchmarks for design, functionality, and user experience in the mobile and audio markets.

As Huawei continues solidifying its position as a leader in the tech industry, this launch will underscore the company’s expanding influence in international markets. Huawei’s latest flagship foldable, the HUAWEI Mate X6, will be unveiled during the Dubai launch. The phone is expected to redefine the future of foldable smartphone technology. It is among the company’s most advanced foldables to date. The Mate X6 is expected to take mobile photography to new heights, building on Huawei’s legacy of pioneering smartphone cameras of the Mate Series.

Besides the Mate X6, Huawei will unveil its next-generation audio products, including the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4. These earbuds will be the first to feature HUAWEI SOUND, offering an immersive audio experience. They will also include AI-driven noise reduction technology, designed to isolate the wearer’s voice during calls while eliminating environmental noise. This feature significantly enhances call quality, particularly in noisy environments.

Consumers can also look forward to the launch of the HUAWEI nova 13 series, a new midrange smartphone that brings a unique interweaving design and an array of exciting features. The nova 13 series offers significant upgrades over its predecessors, including enhanced camera capabilities, a performance boost, and more. The new HUAWEI MatePad 11.5 will also deliver a paper-like experience, perfect for light office productivity, efficient learning, and everyday tasks.

The Dubai event, scheduled for the 12th of December, will mark the global unveiling of Huawei’s several innovative products. The MEA market is one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic regions for technology, and Huawei is committed to strengthening its regional presence. By continuing to introduce groundbreaking products, Huawei is positioning itself to shape the future of mobile technology while reinforcing its role as a global tech powerhouse.