Gadgets
Shape-Shifting Screens, Smart Cities, Mixed Realities, and AI Everything: Predicting 2023 and Beyond
Mohammed Hilili, General Manager, Lenovo Gulf, shares his insight into what technologies will become mainstream in 2023 and beyond.
Smarter, more integrated technology is already transforming everything from the devices in our hands to how we collaborate with colleagues or even buy groceries. As artificial intelligence and edge computing proliferate, bringing power and efficiency to countless industries and activities, we see tremendous change happening.
But what will 2023 (and beyond) bring? What surprises are ahead for our rapidly advancing relationship with technology? Below we explore some of the technologies already emerging – but which are set to change our world even more in the near future.
‘Holographic’ Technology will Energise Meetings
In our new hybrid world of work, technology will step up to create meetings where ‘holographic’ attendees feel nearly as real as being there in the flesh. Technologies that can bring teams together, even if they are working across several continents, will grow in importance in the hybrid, remote, and increasingly global workplaces of the future.
For presentations, product launches, or meetings with other organisations, augmented and mixed reality will offer a new way for organisations to make an impact, with life-size ‘holograms’ that can interact with virtual objects (for example, to show off a new prototype, or to explore a ‘digital twin’ of a real-world object).
Lenovo’s concept Cyber Space technology shows off how this ‘phygital’ approach (blending the physical and digital) might work, with a specially coated glass that is semi-transparent and semi-reflective, and which allows people behind it to physically interact with life-sized objects.
Shape-Changing Devices Will Boost Hybrid Work
Lenovo’s next-gen 16-inch ThinkPad X1 Fold refines the foldable PC category. Screen size remains valuable in an age of multi-tasking and devices designed to shoot and edit videos, stream content, play games, and every other activity packed into our portable devices. In the future, the phones in our pockets might actually be a lot smaller – a reversal of the trend long-seen in smartphones – but ‘extend’ or ‘unfold’ to become larger when we need to use them. An unassuming, familiar device can switch into productivity mode with the touch of a button.
Motorola’s Rollable Proof of Concept debuted at Lenovo Tech World and is compact and pocketable when retracted and expands for a large screen when you need it. This year, Lenovo and Motorola unveiled two pioneering devices which illustrate how the devices of the future might transform whenever the user desires, equipping the hybrid, mobile user of the future.
Motorola’s 312 Labs innovation group designed a concept rollable smartphone which retracts to just 4.5 inches tall – far more pocket-friendly than most premium devices. When users need more screen space (for work, or just to unwind with a movie or a game), the concept device expands from a 5-inch display to 6.5-inch, as big as market-leading devices.
Lenovo’s Rollable PC proof of concept shows a flexible display that rolls out on command on a motor for a larger screen size, while maintaining its thin and light form. For mobile workers, Lenovo also showed off a proof-of-concept Rollable PC, which rolls out a 15.3-inch screen for added productivity (for example, offering additional screen space for coders). The screen rolls out on command thanks to motors inside the laptop, so workers can boost their productivity and flexibility at the touch of a button.
The Lenovo Glasses T1 is a wearable private display for on-the-go content consumption. And for those who need portability, privacy, and extended screen space, don’t be surprised if you see more people “wearing” their screens.
The Metaverse Will Change the Way We Work
The metaverse is going to edge closer to reality – but it won’t be about cartoon avatars and games. Instead, metaverse technology will be driven by the world of work, not play. We’re probably at an equivalent stage to the mid-90s World Wide Web in terms of the evolution of the metaverse, and big leaps are just around the corner.
Teams will learn to collaborate, share and work in immersive spaces – what we refer to as the Enterprise Metaverse – and that will drive the adoption of the technology. Rather than games such as flight simulators, it will be ‘job simulators’ – immersive training – which drives the adoption of the metaverse.
The ThinkReality VRX is a next-level VR headset for immersive training, collaboration, and 3D design. Solutions such as Lenovo’s ThinkReality VRX headset are coming to market to enable workers to collaborate together in virtual reality and enable rapid, cost-effective training programmes.
At Lenovo, we believe that the future of the metaverse is collaborative and truly open, where ideas and technology are easily shared, rather than being restricted inside ‘walled gardens’ controlled by one company.
Shops Will Get Smarter
Artificial intelligence will increasingly shape the world around us – and accelerate daily activities such as shopping. In the near future, AI servers may analyse multiple video feeds from cameras in the aisles of shops to watch for large quantities of items being removed at the same time, and monitor deliveries to the store to ensure that inventory stays high. This will enable shops to keep track of goods more efficiently, more rapidly adjust to supply and demand, improve profit margins – and ensure customers get what they paid for.
When customers ‘click and buy’, AI cameras will keep a watchful eye to ensure they get what they ordered, cutting out an irritating part of the modern, self-checkout shopping experience. American retailer Kroger has 2,750 stores across the United States and is using Lenovo edge AI servers to spot when things go wrong at the checkout. Lenovo’s edge servers monitor video data in real-time, and an AI system offers customers a ‘nudge’ in the form of a five-second video displayed on the checkout screen if an item has not been scanned. Customers then have an option to resolve the problem – with Lenovo’s AI servers able to intelligently monitor 20 hi-res video feeds at once.
Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) Will Power Smart Cities
In the future, intelligent cameras will manage traffic in ‘smart cities’, cutting pollution, congestion, and road accidents – and edge computing servers will enable everything from holographic teaching to augmented reality shopping.
Why edge computing? Multi-access edge computing (MEC) means that requests are processed within the smart city itself, rather than having to travel to some far-away data centre, meaning that queries can be answered within milliseconds. In Barcelona, a pilot scheme is showing the power of edge computing, with 3,000 Lenovo servers across the city enabling internet-of-things devices and cameras to deliver data where it is needed.
In the future, edge computing could even help cities hit pollution targets by controlling traffic lights so cars drive in a more fuel-efficient way.
Hybrid Work Will Enable New Technologies
The way we work has changed forever, and in tomorrow’s new hybrid workspace, the way companies use technology will change – with a shift towards technologies such as smart sensors, and a move to renting everything from hardware to the office experience itself. This will cut overheads for new businesses, enabling young companies to scale more rapidly and flexibly.
This shift is already underway, with a Lenovo survey of 500 CTOs finding that 43% said their company’s technology architecture was ‘improved’ and elements such as smart devices (76%) and smart internet-of-things (70%) surging in importance in the past year.
Businesses will shift towards a more fluid model where the entire office experience and related solutions and services can be provided by a third party. Lenovo now offers a managed employee experience where companies can rent a workplace solution, rather than just hardware or software – including (for example) IT infrastructure and support and performance analytics as well as cloud and data infrastructure services.
HONOR has officially launched the all-new HONOR 400 Series in the Middle East & Africa region. The event, themed “HONOR AI Wonderverse,” combined Arabic aesthetics and futuristic design, symbolizing the perfect fusion of heritage and innovation. Guests enjoyed a unique experience with different interactive zones, where they could explore the new AI Creative Editor features in an engaging way.
The launch event was innovative and engaging, featuring different experience zones that allowed guests to explore the new AI Creative Editor features in a fun and creative way. With its powerful AI Camera, smart AI Creative Editor, strong performance, improved durability, and standout design, the HONOR 400 Series is ready to change the way people experience smartphones.
Showcasing an elegant design inspired by nature, the HONOR 400 is available for pre-order in Midnight Black, Meteor Silver and Desert Gold at a price starting from AED 1399. Upon pre-order, users will get free gifts worth AED 897 including Earbuds S7, Louvre Abu Dhabi Phone Case and HONOR Care 12-month accidental damage protection and HONOR Care GCC Joint Warranty.
The HONOR 400 Pro is available for pre-order in three colorways Midnight Black, Lunar Grey and Tidal Blue at a price of AED 2499. Upon pre-order, users will get free gifts worth AED 1396 including Earbuds Clip, HONOR CHOICE Watch, HONOR Art Phone Cover, and HONOR care 12-month accidental damage protection and HONOR Care GCC Joint Warranty.
Users can pre-order from HONOR Online Store, HONOR Experience Store, Sharaf DG, Emax, Jumbo, Lulu, Carrefour, Eros, Etisalat by e&, Du, Virgin Megastore, Amazon, noon, KM Trading, Ecity and other rerail stores.
Ground-breaking AI Photography with 200MP AI Camera
The HONOR 400 Series sets a new standard for mobile photography with its 200MP Ultra-Clear AI Camera System, powered by the AI Honor Image Engine. The AI Super Zoom delivers up to 50x zoom on the HONOR 400 Pro and 30x on the HONOR 400, capturing distant subjects – such as a bird in flight or a city skyline – with remarkable detail. The AI Portrait Snap keeps moving subjects in focus with natural background blur.
Industry-leading AI Editing Suite with AI Creative Editor
The AI Creative Editor empowers users to elevate their visual storytelling with a suite of innovative tools. The AI Image to Video feature turns static photos into dynamic 5-second videos in just one minute. This feature brings still images to life in MP4 or Moving Photo Formats (16:9 or 9:16), offering endless creative possibilities.
Solving the problem of crowded backgrounds, the AI Erase Passers-by intelligently removes unwanted people from crowded scenes with a single click—no need to manually circle and erase each individual one by one. It seamlessly blends the background to highlight the main subject.
Meanwhile, the AI Upscale enhances low-resolution or vintage photos by sharpening details, bringing new life to treasured memories. It also features innovative and creative AI-powered editing tools such as AI Eyes Open, AI Remove Reflection, AI Cutout, Moving Photo Collage, and AI Outpainting, empowering users to edit their images their way and unleash their creativity.
Intelligent and Personalized Experience with AI-Powered MagicOS 9.0
HONOR 400 Series offers a smarter and more seamless user interface with MagicOS 9.0, based on Android 15. It introduces AI-powered features like AI Subtitles, providing real-time speech-to-text conversion for videos or recordings. Additionally, HONOR Connect simplifies syncing and transferring data between devices, even across different operating systems, such as from iOS to Android and vice versa. Meanwhile, the AI Translation breaks down language barriers with Real-Time and Face-to-Face modes, making multilingual conversations effortless.
Furthermore, MagicOS 9.0 offers a wide array of flagship-level AI innovations, including AI Magic Portal 2.0, AI Deepfake Detection, and much more. This intelligent operating system enables users to seamlessly streamline their daily lives’ tasks at work and leisure across activities with ease.
At the Forefront of Android Development and Implementation
Building on its long-standing collaboration with Google, HONOR is among the first to bring the latest Android experience to its users. This collaboration enables HONOR to provide developers with quick access to the latest Android releases, allowing users to experience the most recent and secure Android features without delay.
Outstanding Performance and Durability
Besides the AI features, HONOR has equipped the devices with premium hardware for a smooth and lightning-fast experience. The HONOR 400 Series is powered by a 6000mAh battery, with the Pro version further enhanced by 100W HONOR SuperCharge. In terms of durability, the series boasts Water and Dust Resistance certification, while the Pro version is upgraded with IP68 and IP69 ratings, offering extra protection.
Whether you’re passionate about photography, love crafting creative stories, or need a device to boost productivity on the move, the HONOR 400 Series delivers exceptional performance and innovation for every user.
Reporting from Taipei, Taiwan: AMD has officially revealed its latest midrange GPU, the Radeon RX 9060 XT, at COMPUTEX 2025, setting up a direct showdown with Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti. Built on 4nm RDNA 4 architecture, the new card brings notable upgrades, including 32 compute units, 64 AI accelerators, and 32 ray-tracing cores, positioning it as a strong competitor in the mainstream gaming market.
The RX 9060 XT will be available in 8GB and 16GB GDDR6 configurations, though Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti retains an edge in memory bandwidth thanks to its 28 Gb/s GDDR7 (delivering 448 GB/s vs. AMD’s ~322 GB/s on a 128-bit bus). Real-world performance comparisons will be crucial to determine how much this gap impacts gaming.
AMD has set the boost clock at up to 3.13 GHz, with an impressive 821 TOPS for AI workloads—a key focus in modern gaming and content creation. Power efficiency looks promising, with a TDP between 150W and 182W, while connectivity includes PCIe 5.0 x16, DisplayPort 2.1a, and HDMI 2.1b. Early indications suggest the RX 9060 XT will excel at 1080p gaming and handle 1440p smoothly, but 4K enthusiasts may still prefer the RX 9070 or 9070 XT for higher settings.
AMD has yet to announce pricing or a firm release date, leaving room for speculation on whether it can undercut Nvidia’s offering. With both GPUs shaping up to be closely matched, the final battle may come down to cost, driver optimization, and feature sets.
The HUAWEI WATCH Series is not updated every year. The WATCH 4 came out almost 2 years ago and the WATCH 3 is about 4 years old now. This is a rarity among smartwatch brands. But for consumers, this is a win. There is no constant pressure to upgrade every year and each new iteration of the WATCH Series comes out with more than some superficial glow-up. Naturally, when the HUAWEI WATCH 5 launched there was much excitement and pep.
Now, Huawei also has a WATCH GT Series that’s entirely separate from the HUAWEI WATCH Series. The WATCH GT 5 was debuted last year. Compared to the WATCH GT Series, though, the WATCH Series is more upscale with premium materials and even more advanced features. So, does the WATCH 5 Series justify the long wait? In more ways than one. It brings a brand-new sensor, a futuristic design, a revamped app ecosystem, and more.
X-TAP is a health revolution
The WATCH 5 Series makes big strides towards becoming a serious health management device. It draws inspiration from real medical devices and introduces a fingertip sensor called X-TAP. The HUAWEI X-TAP is a 12mm long glass sensor on the side of the watch body that redesigns smartwatch health management with the industry’s first all-in-one sensor. In cardiovascular health monitoring, the quality of physiological signals collected through fingertips is much more reliable, which can unlock more accurate, faster, and comprehensive health monitoring. The fingertips contain an abundance of blood vessels and a thinner skin surface, greatly reducing signal interference from skin pigmentation, hair, etc. You can check your SpO2 levels in under 10 seconds by placing your finger on the X-TAP sensor.
The watch also has the Health Glance feature, which is a smarter, more accurate and more attentive way to asses your health by analysing 11 bodily indicators and long-term health trends. Despite the comprehensive nature, it only takes Health Glance 60 seconds to generate a report.
For most users, raw health metrics don’t mean much. Much more important is the correlation between different monitoring results and, above all, what they mean. That’s why the WATCH 5 introduces Health Insights. It analyses the correlation between health indicators in sleep and heart health scenarios through visual cues and textual analyses, offering personalised health advice and smarter health management.
Futuristic design, tough build
The front of the watch has a prominent spherical design that incorporates a spherical sapphire glass screen, second only to diamond in hardness. The use of premium materials goes beyond sapphire. The HUAWEI WATCH 5 42mm, available in Beige and Sand Gold, features a 904L stainless steel casing—the same alloy used in luxury watches known for its exceptional corrosion and wear resistance. Meanwhile, the HUAWEI WATCH 5 46mm, available in Silver and Purple, uses Aerospace-grade Titanium material, which is 45% lighter than 904L stainless steel, 1.8 times stronger, and 1.5 times harder.
A finely crafted classic trapezoidal crown tops of the design. The new X-TAP button that sits on the side next to the crow blends into the overall visual language without drawing too much attention. Everything from the spherical watch face to the new retrofuturistic hues and high-end materials lends the watch a unique appeal that exudes precision and craftsmanship.
Apps and ecosystem
The HUAWEI WATCH 5 Series supports e-sim cellular calling, standalone navigation, onboard music streaming, and access to Huawei’s ecosystem of fitness and general apps. It can handle key tasks without needing your phone constantly in your pocket.
The watch also introduces new gesture controls designed for one-handed use. Users will now be able to tap and Double Slide with their fingers to instantly interact with their smartwatch. You can easily answer or hang up calls, switch music, and take photos by double tapping or swiping your fingers with one hand, greatly improving the efficiency of smartwatch usage.
Battery life that keeps giving
The battery life of Huawei watches has always been astonishing. Despite all the added features and even an extra sensor, Huawei has managed to keep it impressively long. In Standard Mode, HUAWEI WATCH 5 46mm can last for up to 4.5 under normal usage and 42mm edition can last up to 3 days on Standard Mode. The battery life can be extended with the Battery Saver Mode, allowing the watch to last up to 7 days on the 42mm edition and 11 days on the 46mm edition.
The HUAWEI WATCH 5 brings a whole host of new features to smartwatches while the rest of the industry has been largely in a trickle. And just like that, Huawei once again proves it is far ahead in health and well-being management. What’s more, the HUAWEI WATCH 5 works equally well with iOS and Android devices, making it a universal choice for everyone looking for a smartwatch in 2025.
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