The foldable smartphone segment is rapidly moving beyond its nascent stages, transforming into a mature category that blends cutting-edge technology with practical, daily utility. In the Middle East, a region characterised for its love of digital innovation and premium devices, the introduction of a new flagship foldable carries significant weight.

HONOR recently unveiled its Magic V5 foldable in Dubai, a device meticulously engineered to redefine the user experience through a convergence of advanced hardware and deeply integrated artificial intelligence.

We chatted with Laurance Li, GM for HONOR GCC, to delve deeper into the technical advancements, strategic market positioning, and HONOR’s overarching vision for the future of foldables.

Redefining durability and power

When discussing the core upgrades and engineering breakthroughs of the HONOR Magic V5, Laurance Li emphasised the company’s long-standing commitment to making foldables a seamless part of everyday life. He noted that while HONOR has consistently pushed the boundaries of slimness, from the Magic V2’s 9.9mm to the Magic V5’s remarkable 8.8mm, thinness is merely one dimension of innovation.

The Magic V5 primarily addresses critical user concerns: reducing bulk, extending battery life, enhancing durability, and improving photography capabilities.

The device’s robust design is anchored by the HONOR Super Steel Hinge, a component subjected to rigorous testing to endure 500,000 folds. This hinge also showcases impressive structural integrity, demonstrating its ability to lift a weight of 100 kilogrammes under controlled conditions – a feat recognised by a new Guinness World Record.

Further fortifying its resilience, the Magic V5 holds IP58 and IP59 dust and water resistance ratings. The inner display panel is protected by a NanoCrystal Shield, which offers a 15 times greater scratch resistance compared to standard glass.

Powering this advanced hardware is a 5,820mAh silicon-carbon battery, which Li said is the “industry’s largest battery in a foldable device”. This battery features 15 per cent higher silicon content for enhanced efficiency, providing ample power for extended use. Charging capabilities are equally robust, supporting both 66W wired and 50W wireless HONOR SuperCharge.

Li emphasised that this engineering prowess is rooted in HONOR’s manufacturing philosophy. “At the core of this engineering is HONOR’s AI Manufacturing process, the industry’s most advanced AI-powered production system, which enhances structural precision, durability, and design integrity,” he stated. This commitment is supported by substantial investment in research and development, with over 70 per cent of HONOR’s workforce dedicated to R&D, and 11.5 per cent of the company’s annual revenue reinvested into innovation.

AI at its core: Enhancing productivity and communication

Artificial intelligence forms a central pillar of the Magic V5’s user experience, particularly in enhancing productivity and communication. Laurance Li detailed how the device is designed to offer an “AI-first experience” through several integrated features.

A significant innovation is the Magic Sidebar, an intelligent, context-aware panel that dynamically adapts to user activity. “This smart feature suggests helpful features on the side bar based on what you’re doing,” Li explained. This intuitive design eliminates the need for users to switch between apps for common tasks like translation or summarization, ensuring that “everything you need appears right when you need it.”

The device’s operating system has been “reinvented… to enable better collaboration between hardware and software based on understanding of user intents,” incorporating a unique “human-based kernel to learn about and analyse user habits, personal intents as well as the environment.”

The Magic V5 also features deep integration with Google Gemini. “Central to this is Gemini Live, an AI assistant designed for real-time interaction and multitasking,” Li clarified. Gemini Live’s capabilities extend to analysing live video feeds to identify objects, text, and scenes, providing instant insights without requiring users to leave their current application. It also supports screen sharing with the AI assistant, allowing the device to understand and summarise complex content, such as legal documents or financial charts, and offer context-aware assistance. For seamless access, the innovative “Tap Tap” interaction allows users to launch Gemini simply by double-tapping the back of the device.

Beyond these broad AI capabilities, the Magic V5 integrates on-device AI for specific, critical functionalities:

AI call translation: Powered by HONOR’s on-device call translation large model, this feature ensures complete privacy by processing audio locally. It enables smooth real-time phone conversations between users speaking different languages, with only one party needing an HONOR device.

AI photography: The HONOR AI Super Zoom leverages an on-device AI RAW model to enhance image clarity and sharpness up to 30x zoom. For higher zoom levels, cloud processing is utilised to further improve image quality.

AI security: “HONOR Deepfake Detection also operates fully on-device to identify AI-generated face manipulations during video calls,” providing a crucial layer of privacy and security in an era of increasing AI-driven misinformation.

Li envisions a future where “smartphones will evolve from being just tools into intelligent companions that understand your preferences, anticipate your needs, help solve complex problems, and inspire creativity.”

Strategic market focus: Tailoring for the tech-savvy GCC

The UAE and wider GCC region play a pivotal role in HONOR’s global foldable strategy. Li highlighted that “The GCC region is one of the most dynamic and promising markets in the world for technology. Consumers here are highly tech-savvy, open to innovation, and quick to adopt new technologies, especially in areas like AI, advanced smartphones, and gaming.”

“This strong demand makes the region “an ideal launchpad for our most sophisticated devices,” he said.

The Magic V5 has been deliberately tailored to meet the needs of this discerning audience, designed to be “the perfect lifestyle companion for UAE users with busy, connected lives,” through its combination of advanced hardware and intelligent AI experiences. A key localised integration for the UAE market is the pre-installation of the UAE PASS app. This app, developed in partnership with the UAE’s Digital Government Regulatory Authority, provides users with secure and seamless access to government and private sector services from the moment they activate their device, showcasing HONOR’s commitment to delivering meaningful, locally relevant digital solutions.

Competitive landscape and market position

Li articulated HONOR’s perspective on the competitive landscape: “At HONOR, we welcome competition as a catalyst for innovation and growth within the foldable market.” He views the entry of new players as validation of increasing consumer interest. “HONOR has been a pioneer in the foldable space, consistently pushing the boundaries of technology and design with each generation of our foldable smartphones,” he asserted. The company’s strategy focuses on creating devices that are not only “as lightweight and comfortable to hold as bar phones, but also deliver a premium user experience.”

While specific country-by-country market share figures were not disclosed, Li shared internal data indicating HONOR’s rapid growth. “HONOR is the fastest-growing tech brand in the MENA region, with shipments rising over 83 per cent — a milestone no other smartphone brand here has achieved.” In the UAE specifically, “our sales in the first half of 2025 increased by 75 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.” He also noted that the HONOR Magic V3 “doubled foldable shipments”, and the HONOR 400 series “grew by 200 per cent”, signifying strong consumer adoption for both foldable and traditional flagship smartphones.

Pre-order, availability, and expanding ecosystem

The HONOR Magic V5 will be available in the UAE at a price of Dhs6,499 ($1,799). Pre-orders commenced on Thursday, August 14, with the device officially hitting shelves on Thursday, August 21.

For early adopters, HONOR has prepared a comprehensive pre-order package valued at Dhs3,695. This package includes a Bose Speaker, HONOR Magic Pen, and an additional HONOR Magic V5 Case. Crucially, it also features HONOR VIP Care+, which provides 12-month screen protection (covering one free replacement for both the inner and outer screens, with no cost for parts or labour). Purchases made after the initial month will still receive six months of screen protection. The VIP Care+ package further includes 24-month customised service for up to eight sessions.

The Magic V5 is offered in four elegant color options: Dawn Gold, Ivory White, Reddish Brown, and Black. Pre-orders are available through the HONOR Online Store, HONOR Experience Stores, and a wide network of retail partners, including Sharaf DG, Emax, Jumbo, Lulu, Carrefour, Eros, Etisalat by e&, Du, Virgin Megastore, Amazon, Noon, KM Trading, and Ecity.

Beyond the foldable, the launch event also showcased HONOR’s commitment to expanding its broader AI device ecosystem. The HONOR Magic Pad 3 tablet features a 13.3-inch 165Hz HONOR Eye Comfort Display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform, 8 speakers with HONOR Spatial Audio, and a large 12,450mAh silicon-carbon battery, all within an ultra-slim 5.79mm and lightweight 595g design.

The HONOR MagicBook Art 14 2025 laptop, designed for portability and performance, weighs just 1kg, is only 1cm thick, and features a 1600nit HONOR Eye Comfort Display.

These devices, alongside the Magic V5, leverage HONOR Share, a cross-platform file transfer and syncing technology that allows instant content sharing across various operating systems, illustrating HONOR’s strategic shift toward becoming a global AI device ecosystem leader.

Nisus Finance Investment Consultancy FZCO (NiFCO Dubai), a wholly owned subsidiary of Nisus Finance Services Co Limited, has entered into a strategic partnership with BNW Developments, one of the UAE’s leading real estate developers.

This collaboration is poised to redefine the real estate experience in Dubai, offering enhanced opportunities for both investors and end-users. By combining Nisus Finance’s expertise in capital deployment with BNW’s robust market presence and project management capabilities, the partnership aims to set new standards in property development and sales.

In line with this partnership, NiFCO Dubai recently launched the Nisus High Yield Growth Fund Closed-Ended IC, a Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) registered property fund. Incorporated under the laws of the DIFC and managed by Gateway Investment Management Services (DIFC) Limited, the fund serves as a vehicle for strategic real estate investment. Through its DIFC special purpose vehicle, NiFCO Holding 02 Ltd, the fund acquired Esplora, a premium residential building located in District 18 of Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC).

Esplora is a 120,000 square foot development comprising 143 residential apartments and three retail units spread over G+3P+16 floors. The residential mix includes 48 studios, 63 one-bedroom apartments, and 32 two-bedroom apartments, designed to cater to a diverse range of residents. The building combines modern design with practical amenities, providing a high-quality living environment in a sought-after Dubai community.

New joint venture to drive development, marketing and sales

To maximise the potential of the acquired asset, BNW Developments and NiFCO Holding 02 Ltd have established a new company, BNW NiFCO Buying and Selling Real Estate LLC. This joint venture will oversee the development, marketing, and sales of the Esplora building, blending NiFCO’s disciplined capital management with BNW’s on-the-ground market expertise.

Unlike traditional models where a developer simply sells off-plan projects, BNW plans to embed its core values into Esplora and future projects, ensuring elevated living standards and a seamless buyer experience. The partnership’s combined strengths aim to accelerate sales velocity and deliver higher returns, benefiting both investors and homeowners. This approach promises to enhance the overall quality and readiness of homes available in the mid-income segment of Dubai’s housing market.

Consumer-first model for ready, quality homes in Dubai

This partnership introduces a consumer-focused model designed to meet the growing demand for move-in-ready homes that offer immediate value and quality of life, particularly targeting middle-income families. The initiative moves away from the traditional off-plan property market, which is often marred by delays and uncertainties, to focus on completed, well-maintained residential assets.

With additional assets worth approximately $200m currently under review for acquisition, Nisus Finance and BNW Developments plan to scale this model across Dubai and the broader UAE. This effort supports a larger real estate vision valued at around $1bn. By addressing the industry’s challenge where only 45 per cent of projects are completed on time, the partnership ensures timely delivery, transparency, and robust secondary market activity.

Amit Goenka, chairman and managing director of Nisus Finance Group, noted that the collaboration is “creating an important roadmap to accelerate growth in the real estate sector by infusing capital, easing pressures on developers, and enabling faster sales and marketing.”

Meanwhile, Ankur Aggarwal, founder and chairman of BNW Developments, praised the partnership’s ability to “drive strong uptake of projects” and looks forward to expanding the model in future developments.

The collaboration notably enhances access to high-quality housing for mid-income families and provides investors with stable, income-generating properties that are ready to occupy. Combining institutional governance with local expertise, this partnership sets a new benchmark for trust, transparency, and impact-driven real estate development in the UAE.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) in Saudi Arabia has issued a fresh directive under the Wage Protection Program (WPP), warning that assigning employees an illogical basic wage, either unusually low or excessively high, will now automatically trigger violation alerts on the Mudad platform.

The updated compliance measures are designed to tighten oversight and promote fair wage practices across Saudi Arabia’s private sector.

Read-Job seekers alert: Saudi announces new employment rules

These alerts will be recorded in the employer’s violation log if the wages deviate significantly from established patterns in the system.

Additional red flags include

• Salary deductions exceeding 50 per cent of an employee’s wage
• Failing to input the basic wage on Mudad for more than 90 days, a Saudi Gazette report said.

The ministry also listed several other violations: omitting the basic wage from designated fields, withholding wage payments, or maintaining no record of wage disbursement.

Inspections to be triggered by delayed file submissions

If a private-sector establishment fails to upload wage files within 20 days of the due date, the Mudad platform will initiate an automatic request to the Inspection Department. This process kicks off with a reminder on the due date, a second reminder after 10 days, and a final warning on the 15th day. If the issue remains unresolved after 20 days, an inspection is officially triggered.

To ensure transparency and fairness in the process, the following steps are followed when addressing delayed salary payments:

• Employers are granted 10 days to justify delayed salary payments.

• Employees have 3 days to accept or reject the employer’s explanation via the Mudad system.

• If the employee does not respond within 3 days, Mudad will automatically accept the employer’s justification by default.

Noncompliant companies face escalating penalties. A two-month salary delay results in the suspension of all services except for issuing and renewing work permits. Delays extending beyond three months will lead to the suspension of all services. In such cases, employees are granted the right to transfer to a new employer without their current employer’s approval, even if their existing work permit is still valid.

Mudad and Khazna introduce ‘Flexible Salary’ option

In a move to modernize payroll systems, the Mudad platform signed a cooperation agreement with Khazna Financial Technology Company in July 2025 to introduce a new product: Flexible Salary. This feature allows employees to access a portion of their earned wages before the official payday, offering them greater financial control.

The initiative is seen as a game-changer in employee empowerment, aiming to reduce financial stress and improve productivity. It enables workers to withdraw a portion of their income for the days already worked, without having to wait until month’s end, a Saudi Gazette report conveyed.

Leaders from both Mudad and Khazna emphasized that the new product supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by driving digital transformation in human resources and strengthening worker protections. The collaboration is also expected to improve the overall work environment by providing innovative financial solutions and enhancing employer-employee trust.

Bitcoin hit a record high on Thursday as increasing expectations for easier monetary policy from the Federal Reserve added to tailwinds from recently announced financial reforms.

The world’s largest crypto-asset by market capitalisation climbed as much as 0.9 per cent to $124,002.49 in early Asia trading, surpassing its previous peak hit in July.

On the day, the second-largest crypto-token, ether, reached $4,780.04, the highest level since late 2021.

Bitcoin rally linked to certain factors

Bitcoin’s rally is being powered by growing certainty of Fed rate cuts, sustained institutional buying, and moves by the Trump administration to ease investment in crypto assets, said IG market analyst Tony Sycamore. “Technically a sustained break above $125k could propel BTC to $150,000,” he wrote in a note.

Bitcoin has risen nearly 32 per cent so far in 2025 on the back of long-sought regulatory wins for the sector following President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Trump has called himself the “crypto president” and his family has made a series of forays into the sector over the past year.

An executive order last week paved the way to allow crypto assets in 401(k) retirement accounts, highlighting an increasingly favourable regulatory environment in the US.

Crypto has seen regulatory wins in the US

Crypto has scored multiple regulatory wins in the US in 2025, including the passage of stablecoin regulations and the US securities regulator’s decision to overhaul rules to accommodate the asset class.

Bitcoin’s surge has also sparked a broader rally in the asset class over the past few months, shrugging off the tremors of Trump’s wide-ranging tariff policies.

According to data from CoinMarketCap, the crypto sector’s overall market capitalisation has ballooned to over $4.18tn, up from about $2.5tn in November 2024, when Trump won the US presidential election.

The latest push for crypto adoption in the US came via an executive order on Thursday last week, which would ease access to the asset class in 401(k) retirement accounts. The order could also be a boost for asset managers such as BlackRock and Fidelity, which operate crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

However, crypto’s push into retirement savings carries risks, as the asset class tends to experience much more volatility than stocks and bonds, which asset managers have typically relied on for such accounts.

Dubai’s economy grew 4 per cent (QoQ) in Q1 2025, reaching Dhs119.7bn, supported by strong performances across strategic sectors, government data showed.

Human health and social work activities led growth with a 26 per cent increase to Dhs1.9bn, while real estate rose 7.8 per cent to Dhs9bn and financial and insurance activities expanded 5.9 per cent to Dhs16bn.

Other contributors included accommodation and food services (up 3.4 per cent to Dhs4.9bn), transport and storage (up 2 per cent to Dhs15.7bn), wholesale and retail trade (up 4.5 per cent to Dhs27.5bn), manufacturing (up 3.3 per cent to Dhs8.7bn), and information and communications (up 3.2 per cent to Dhs5.3bn).

Collectively, these sectors helped maintain Dubai’s diversified growth momentum following a 5.8 per cent expansion in 2024.

Younus Al Nasser, chief executive of Dubai Data & Statistics Establishment, said the results provide a reliable basis for policymaking and business decisions.

“The Q1 2025 results reflect Dubai’s economic progress, enabling policymakers, researchers, and businesses to make well-informed decisions,” he said

Hadi Badri, CEO of Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), highlighted Dubai’s continued appeal to investors and entrepreneurs, emphasising public-private collaboration and strategic initiatives as key drivers of sustained economic performance.

He added: “Dubai’s performance through 2024 and into the first quarter of 2025 reflects our continued momentum towards achieving the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.”

At a glance: Dubai GDP growth and key sector performance