Apps
Aladdin.Life Launches Telecom Products and Services Marketplace

Aladdin.life has announced the beta launch of an online platform that combines search, marketplace and customer community for telecom services in the UAE. The digital platform will help customers to discover, compare and make informed decisions about mobile and broadband plans and home services.
Customers will be connected to a marketplace and will also be able to rate and share their experiences on an AI-powered customer community. Authorised sellers, including physical retailers, will be able to plug into the marketplace to get online customer traffic.

Research by Aladdin.life has revealed that only 20% of UAE customers believe they are on the best mobile plan that suits their needs, while 70% believe they can save moderate to a significant amount by moving to the best plan. A similar 70% have not switched to their best plan because they don’t know what plans are available or anticipate difficulties in switching. These findings are consistent with global trends in the industry. Customers worldwide have difficulties navigating and finding the right plan and cannot keep up with frequent price changes and promotions.
Aladdin.life addresses these challenges through innovative solutions based on promoting transparency, choice and convenience. ‘Genie’ search helps existing customers maximize the value of their current spend or increase savings. This is done by instantly matching their basic usage pattern with hundreds of price plans offered by UAE operators. Bazaar is a unique online marketplace complete with online and online-to-offline shopping. It features the UAE’s largest collection of mobile plans with sims and devices and includes 1000+ mobile price plans and 1500+ device instalment plans offered by UAE operators.
Subhra Das, Founder, and CEO, Aladdin.life, said, “A vast majority of mobile consumers in the UAE think they are not on the right plan, and that the packages they have do not match their needs and budgets. The situation has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. We help customers, particularly during this crisis, with ways to save them time, effort, and money. We are waking up to a new hyper-digital future where we anticipate customers moving from conspicuous to more conscious consumption habits. We are facilitating this transition by introducing a “Customer First” platform designed for customers to be in charge.”
Osman Sultan, Chairman of Aladdin.life, remarked, “Aladdin.life is a re-imagination of the entire buying experience in the telco industry and one that is focused to help customers take informed decisions. The platform supports the efforts of digital transformation in the UAE by creating an ecosystem that helps cooperation and partnership between all stakeholders and maximizes value for each of them.”
Aladdin.life will be particularly beneficial to customers, sellers, and operators as the adoption of 5G get underway. Customers are expecting mobile operators to offer an enhanced experience, which the holistic platform will facilitate. In addition, people will have access to a customer community for trusted reviews, advice, and tips on all aspects of mobile and broadband services. The platform currently caters to the UAE consumer market and will soon be opened up to Home and SME customers.

Apps
AppGallery Gamers Cup Returns to Iraq

The much-anticipated AppGallery Gamers Cup (AGC) returned to Iraq with the AGC-Yalla Ludo Friendly Cup on March 21, bringing together the wider gaming community. The event was organized in collaboration with Jetour Iraq and its exclusive distributor, Harlem for Commercial Agencies, a subsidiary of Harlem Group. This year’s tournament witnessed 64 players, carefully selected from a record-breaking 38,000 online registrations, compete in intense, back-to-back matches for a share of the $6,000 prize pool.
The tournament, featuring the popular Yalla Ludo game, highlights the increasing demand for competitive gaming experiences across the Middle East. It further strengthens HUAWEI AppGallery’s commitment to supporting the region’s thriving gaming ecosystem and fostering esports growth.
William Hu, Managing Director, Huawei Consumer Business Group, Middle East and Africa Eco-Development and Operation, added, “We are very proud of the success of the AGC – Yalla Ludo Friendly Cup. This event is part of our ongoing commitment to fostering esports in the region and connecting with passionate gaming communities. We are honored to collaborate with Yalla Ludo and Jetour, further strengthening our dedication to creating exciting opportunities for players and fans alike. This is just the beginning of many more initiatives to come, and we look forward to seeing the continued growth of esports in Iraq and beyond.”
Mohamed Majeed, Harlem Group Representative, also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with Huawei at such a prestigious event. He highlighted Harlem Group’s commitment to innovation and support for digital advancements in Iraq. “Harlem Group has always been at the forefront of fostering technological progress in Iraq. We are proud to sponsor this event through Jetour Iraq,” he said.
Apps
Astra Tech Unveils Botim AI

Astra Tech announced the integration of Botim AI into its Botim Ultra App, bringing advanced AI capabilities to the platform and enhancing accessibility for over 150 million global users. This makes Botim the first fintech in the region to introduce this innovation. Botim AI is a chat assistant designed to elevate user engagement and interaction, offering free, seamless access to cutting-edge features directly within the Ultra App. Users will benefit from intelligent, AI-driven conversations and assistance across various areas, including productivity, education, research, and everyday problem-solving.
H.E. Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, Board Member and CEO of Astra Tech, commented: “The launch of Botim AI marks a significant milestone in our journey to revolutionize digital communication in the MENA region. By integrating advanced AI capabilities, we are enhancing user experiences and setting new standards for intelligent, seamless interactions. This innovation underscores our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to meet the evolving needs of our users, while advancing our mission to deliver more inclusive solutions that empower individuals from all demographics and enable frictionless engagement with our solutions.”
The AI currently supports chat-based interactions, with enhancements such as web search capabilities and action-based integration planned for future phases. As part of its strategic evolution, Botim is advancing toward the deployment of executional AI, enabling users to complete tasks in their native language with ease. This innovation meets the growing demand for inclusive AI solutions that ensure seamless, accessible interactions, empowering individuals from all backgrounds to engage effortlessly with the Ultra App.
Botim AI represents a significant step forward in the evolution of communication apps in the MENA region, offering users a smarter, more interactive way to connect and engage. Easily accessible from the landing page, Explore, and Search sections of the app, Botim AI allows current users to simply update to the latest version to access these new features directly on the landing page. Additionally, users can securely save chat history for future reference and have the option to delete past conversations for privacy and control.
Apps
Google’s Latest AI Model Enables Watermark Removal from Images

A potentially controversial application of Google’s new Gemini 2.0 Flash AI model has emerged: users are leveraging it to remove watermarks from images, including those from stock photo sites such as Getty Images.
The recently expanded image generation feature of Gemini 2.0 Flash allows for native image generation and editing, a powerful tool that seemingly lacks robust usage restrictions. Social media users have highlighted how the AI can not only remove watermarks but also intelligently fill in the resulting gaps, often with impressive accuracy, and it’s currently free within Google’s AI Studio developer tools.
While labeled “experimental” and “not for production use,” Gemini 2.0 Flash’s ability to bypass watermarks stands in contrast to models like Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet and OpenAI’s GPT-4o, which explicitly prohibit such actions, citing ethical and legal concerns.
It’s important to note that Gemini 2.0 Flash isn’t foolproof; it can struggle with semi-transparent or heavily overlaid watermarks. Nevertheless, the ease with which it can remove watermarks raises potential copyright issues, as removing a watermark without the copyright holder’s permission is generally illegal in many countries. This situation underscores the ongoing challenges of balancing powerful AI capabilities with copyright protection.
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