Samsung Electronics introduced intelligent eyewear on Wednesday, expanding its Galaxy ecosystem beyond smartphones with intelligent eyewear designed for everyday tasks, communication and hands-free assistance.

The South Korean technology company unveiled the new devices at its Galaxy Unpacked event in London, saying the eyewear was developed in collaboration with global eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to combine artificial intelligence capabilities with consumer-focused design.

The launch builds on concepts showcased at Google I/O and marks Samsung’s move into a growing market for AI-enabled wearable devices, where technology firms are seeking to integrate digital assistants into more natural, screen-free experiences.

“As agentic AI reshapes mobile experiences, the next step is to make those experiences more intuitive and responsive to each user’s context,” said Won-Joon Choi, chief operating officer of Samsung’s Mobile eXperience business.

“Intelligent eyewear creates a new point of interaction, bringing more personalised AI assistance naturally into the moments that make up everyday life,” he added.

Read: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra wins Gulf Business Editor’s Choice award for redefining mobile photography

Galaxy intelligent eyewear: Highlights

The eyewear features a lightweight frame, slim profile and built-in camera designed to provide visual context for AI interactions.

Samsung said the device can deliver up to nine hours of battery life on a single charge, with the charging case providing up to seven additional full charges.

Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1 Gen1 platform, the device is designed to support real-time AI assistance, connectivity, touch controls, power efficiency and thermal management within a compact form factor.

The glasses integrate Google’s Gemini AI assistant through the Android XR platform, allowing users to access information, interact with digital services and receive assistance without relying on a smartphone screen.

“Google and Samsung have a shared vision to bring helpful and context-aware intelligence into everyday life,” said Sameer Samat, president of Android Ecosystem at Google.

“Built on the Android XR platform, the intelligent eyewear blends world-class designs with Gemini’s advanced assistance that naturally responds to what you see, delivering all-day, hands-free help,” he added.

Samsung said the eyewear can assist users by summarising messages, reading information aloud, supporting live translation and enabling voice or gesture-based controls.

The device can also capture visual information, such as meeting notes or whiteboards, and organise details for later review through Samsung Notes. Users can request location-based guidance, including navigation support and information about their surroundings.

The company said the glasses can also enable live visual sharing during calls, allowing users to share their point of view while keeping their hands free.

A technology device and ‘fashion’ accessory

Samsung is positioning the product as both a technology device and a fashion accessory, working with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to offer different frame styles, colours and lens options.

The collaborations reflect a broader shift among technology companies to make wearable devices more closely aligned with personal style and everyday use rather than positioning them solely as gadgets.

Samsung said the intelligent eyewear will form part of the wider Galaxy ecosystem, extending AI-powered experiences across devices and allowing users to interact with technology in a more context-aware way.

The UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) has launched a new payment option allowing customers to pay ministry service fees through installments using buy now, pay later platform Tabby, in the latest move by a federal entity to expand flexible digital payment services.

The service enables individuals and businesses to split payments into monthly installments when paying for ministry services through MOHRE’s digital channels, the ministry said in a statement.

The initiative is aimed at improving customer experience by offering greater financial flexibility while supporting the UAE government’s broader digital transformation agenda, according to the ministry.

The launch adds MOHRE to a growing list of UAE government entities adopting instalment-based payment solutions.

In July, ICP tied up with Tabby for service fees

Earlier this month, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) introduced Tabby as a payment option for service fees of up to Dhs20,000, allowing customers to spread payments over three to 12 months, subject to credit assessment.

The move also follows the Ministry of Finance’s partnership with Tabby, announced in late 2025, which enabled customers to pay federal government service fees and fines in instalments through authorised payment channels.

The Tabby service offers an additional option, complementing the existing easy payment options that are already available to the ministry’s customers and that allow them to pay their service fees and administrative fines in instalments using their credit cards issued by eight MoHRE-approved banks, namely Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Mashreq Bank, Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD), Commercial International Bank (CIB), and RAKBANK.

Read: Tabby launches cashback spending account as it expands beyond BNPL

From AI-powered desalination plants to renewable energy integration and smart water networks, the Middle East is redefining how it thinks about water security. As climate risks mount and demand accelerates, governments are investing not only in producing freshwater, but in building resilient systems that can withstand future shocks.

Here, Julio de la Rosa, chief development officer for the water business in the Middle East and Southeast Asia at ACCIONA, discusses why the next chapter of water infrastructure will be shaped by digital technologies, sustainability and long-term resilience.

Several recent reports have raised concerns about the Gulf’s heavy reliance on desalination. Do you believe these concerns are overstated, or do they expose genuine vulnerabilities that governments and utilities should be preparing for?
Every critical infrastructure deserves continuous assessment, and desalination is no exception. However, I believe it is important to distinguish between dependence and vulnerability. The Gulf relies heavily on desalination because it has very limited conventional freshwater resources, but over the past decades the region has built one of the world’s most sophisticated water infrastructures.

Today’s desalination plants are designed with multiple layers of resilience: operational redundancies, interconnected transmission networks, strategic water storage, and increasingly advanced digital monitoring systems. Governments and utilities are already preparing for potential risks through diversification of supply sources, investment in wastewater reuse, renewable energy integration, and cybersecurity.

Rather than viewing desalination as a weakness, I see it as a strategic asset that continues to evolve and secure the supply of potable water. The focus should be on continuously strengthening resilience rather than questioning the technology itself.

Water security is increasingly being discussed alongside food security and energy security. How has the conversation around desalination and water resilience evolved in the Middle East over the past five years?
The conversation has shifted significantly. Five years ago, the emphasis was primarily on increasing production capacity to meet growing demand. Today, the discussion is much broader and more strategic.

Water is now recognised as a fundamental pillar of national resilience, closely linked to economic diversification, industrial development, food production and climate adaptation. Governments are no longer asking only how much water can be produced, but also how efficiently, sustainably and securely it can be managed throughout the entire water cycle.

This has accelerated investment not only in desalination, but also in digital water management, reuse, smart distribution networks and renewable-powered infrastructure. The region is increasingly adopting an integrated approach to water security rather than focusing on individual assets.

Reverse osmosis has transformed the economics of desalination. What do you see as the next major technological breakthrough that could further improve efficiency, affordability, and sustainability?
Reverse osmosis will continue to improve, particularly through advances in membrane materials, energy recovery devices and process optimisation. However, I believe the next breakthrough will come from the combination of digital technologies with physical infrastructure.

Artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and digital twins are already enabling operators to optimise energy consumption, anticipate maintenance needs and maximise plant performance in real time. These technologies improve both efficiency and reliability while reducing operating costs.

At the same time, innovations in brine management, resource recovery and low-carbon energy integration will further enhance the environmental sustainability of desalination. The future is not about one disruptive technology but about intelligently combining multiple innovations.

Climate change is expected to intensify water stress across the region. How are desalination plants being designed today to withstand rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and growing demand?
Climate resilience is becoming a core design principle rather than an additional consideration.

Modern desalination plants are engineered to operate under increasingly challenging environmental conditions, including higher seawater temperatures, changing water quality, sandstorms and more frequent extreme weather events. Greater operational flexibility, redundancy and modularity allow plants to maintain reliable production under varying conditions.

Equally important is the integration of strategic storage, network interconnections and advanced monitoring systems that enable operators to respond quickly to unexpected events. Climate adaptation is no longer limited to infrastructure design; it also includes smarter operational management supported by digital technologies.

As desalination plants become increasingly digital and AI-enabled, how significant is the cybersecurity challenge, and what measures are needed to safeguard critical water infrastructure?
Cybersecurity has become one of the key priorities for critical infrastructure worldwide, and the water sector is no exception.

The growing digitalisation of desalination plants brings enormous operational benefits, but it also requires a robust cybersecurity framework. This involves secure industrial control systems, continuous monitoring, regular software updates, strict access management and comprehensive incident response protocols.

Equally important is collaboration between operators, technology providers and governments to establish common standards and share best practices. Cyber resilience should be considered an integral part of operational resilience rather than a separate discipline.

The integration of renewable energy into desalination is gaining momentum across the Gulf. How close are we to producing freshwater at scale using predominantly renewable energy, and what challenges remain?
We are much closer than many people realise. Several projects already combine reverse osmosis with renewable electricity, particularly solar power, and this trend will continue to accelerate as renewable generation becomes increasingly competitive.

The main challenge is not the desalination technology itself but ensuring reliable and continuous energy supply despite the variability of renewable generation. This requires flexible grid management, energy storage solutions and careful optimisation between electricity production and water demand.

In the long term, I am confident that renewable-powered desalination will become the dominant model, contributing simultaneously to water security and decarbonisation objectives. The rapid evolution and declining cost of battery energy storage systems (BESS) will be a game changer, making round-the-clock renewable-powered desalination increasingly viable.

Beyond desalination, how important are wastewater reuse, smart water networks, leak detection, and demand management in strengthening the region’s long-term water security?
They are essential. Water security cannot rely on production alone. A resilient water system requires optimising every drop throughout the entire cycle. Wastewater reuse provides an additional sustainable resource, particularly for irrigation and industrial applications. Smart networks and leak detection reduce non-revenue water and improve operational efficiency, while demand management helps ensure that valuable water resources are used responsibly.

The most resilient countries will not necessarily be those that produce the most water, but those that manage it most intelligently.

Public-private partnerships have played a major role in expanding desalination capacity across the Middle East. What lessons can other water-stressed regions learn from the Gulf’s approach?
The Gulf has demonstrated that long-term vision, regulatory stability and strong collaboration between the public and private sectors can accelerate infrastructure development while maintaining high standards of efficiency and reliability.

Clear procurement frameworks, transparent risk allocation and a commitment to technological innovation have created an environment where both governments and private investors can deliver complex projects successfully.

Many water-stressed regions could benefit from adopting similar collaborative models, adapted to their own regulatory and economic contexts.

Water demand continues to rise alongside rapid urbanisation and industrial growth. Is the region investing quickly enough to stay ahead of future demand?
The region has demonstrated remarkable commitment to investing in water infrastructure, and many countries have ambitious expansion programmes already underway.
However, demand is evolving rapidly, driven by population growth, industrialisation and new sectors such as green hydrogen, advanced manufacturing and data centres, which, by the way, also require a lot of water. Maintaining a comfortable margin between supply and demand will require continued investment, long-term planning and faster deployment of new infrastructure.

The challenge is not simply building more capacity but ensuring that future systems are more efficient, flexible and sustainable.

Looking ahead to 2035, what will define true leadership in water security? Will it be the countries with the largest desalination capacity, or those with the most diversified, digitally connected, and climate-resilient water systems?
Capacity will always matter, but by 2035 true leadership will be defined by resilience rather than volume.

As our chairman, José Manuel Entrecanales, said recently at ACCIONA’s Annual General Meeting, “infrastructure is no longer simply a driver of growth; it has become critical to strategic sovereignty and social cohesion.” I believe nowhere is that more evident than in water. Water infrastructure has become a strategic asset, essential not only for economic development but also for national resilience and long-term stability.

The leading countries will be those that successfully combine desalination, wastewater reuse, renewable energy, smart distribution networks, digital technologies and effective water governance into a fully integrated system.

Water security is becoming increasingly interconnected with energy, climate and economic resilience. The countries that embrace this integrated vision, and continue investing in innovation and collaboration will be the ones best positioned to meet future challenges.

Ultimately, success will not be measured simply by how much water a country can produce, but by how reliably, sustainably and efficiently it can deliver that water under any circumstances.

Aster Hospital Mankhool has become the first hospital in the Gulf region to successfully use the Cornaris P80/P80-E Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) platform developed by Vivolight during a complex coronary intervention, marking a milestone in the adoption of advanced cardiovascular imaging technologies in the region.

The hospital, ranked fourth in the UAE in Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2026 list, said the next-generation imaging platform provides clinicians with high-resolution, real-time images from inside coronary arteries, enabling more precise diagnosis and treatment of complex coronary artery disease.

Unlike conventional angiography, which relies on X-ray images to outline blood vessels, the OCT platform uses near-infrared light to generate detailed cross-sectional images of artery walls. The technology enables clinicians to assess the location, composition and severity of arterial blockages, calcium build-up and blood flow within a single imaging procedure.

Dr Naveed Ahmed, head of Cardiac Services, Aster Hospitals & Clinics, UAE, said: “This technology allows us to see the heart artery in a completely new way. Instead of relying only on traditional images, we can now understand the structure and composition of the blockage, assess the surrounding artery environment in greater detail, and perform functional assessment of the treated vessel. This enables greater precision during complex procedures and helps us make more informed clinical decisions to achieve better patient outcomes.

“Using OCT imaging, we were able to obtain a detailed internal assessment of the artery, guiding precise treatment using a drug-eluting stent, a drug-coated balloon and treatment of the additional distal lesion. The procedure successfully restored normal blood flow. The patient underwent treatment on June 2, 2026, was discharged the following day in stable condition, and has remained symptom-free since the intervention. This level of precision allows us to optimise every stage of treatment and deliver the best possible care for patients.”

The first patient treated using the technology was a 52-year-old Dubai resident with type 2 diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol who presented with worsening chest pain and was diagnosed with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS-NSTEMI). Further assessment identified a complex blockage involving the left anterior descending (LAD) artery and an additional lesion in the distal artery.

The technology was used during a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), a minimally invasive procedure that treats blocked coronary arteries using balloons and stents without the need for open-heart surgery.

Dr Sherbaz Bichu, CEO – Aster Hospitals & Clinics, UAE, Oman & Bahrain, said: “At Aster Hospital, we are proud to be the first in the Gulf to introduce this next-generation heart imaging technology. Our patients deserve access to advanced diagnostic tools that enable our clinical teams to make more precise and informed treatment decisions.

“Optical Coherence Tomography allows our cardiac specialists to capture detailed artery scans within seconds, strengthening our ability to manage complex cardiac cases with greater accuracy and improve patient outcomes. This milestone reflects our continued commitment to bringing globally validated innovations into patient care and advancing cardiovascular excellence across the region.”

The Cornaris P80/P80-E platform offers multiple imaging modes, including Full View Mode, which scans up to 80mm of an artery in two seconds, High-Definition Mode, which captures 55mm in 2.75 seconds, and Super-Fast Mode, capable of scanning 40mm in one second.

According to Aster, the imaging system is currently used in more than 300 hospitals in China and has expanded into international markets including the United States, Indonesia, Chile, Armenia, Hong Kong and Macao.

The hospital also cited published clinical research indicating that OCT-guided coronary interventions can improve outcomes compared with conventional angiography-guided procedures, with studies reporting reductions in cardiac mortality of 39–46 per cent and stent-related complications of 48–64 per cent.

The milestone comes as cardiovascular disease remains one of the region’s leading health challenges, accounting for approximately 40 per cent of deaths in the UAE and 33–38 per cent across the GCC, underscoring the growing focus on advanced diagnostic technologies to improve patient outcomes.

Finvasia Group is accelerating its push to reshape the future of global finance after its platforms Dealing.com and Blockmaze achieved two major Guinness World Records milestones, highlighting the growing potential of regulated blockchain-based financial markets.

Dealing.com was awarded the Guinness World Records title for the “Most Tokenised Stocks Available for Trading on a Single Platform”, after an independent verification process confirmed more than 24,000 tokenised stocks available to investors.

At the same time, Blockmaze secured recognition for achieving the “Most Financial Regulatory Licences at a Blockchain Ecosystem Launch”, establishing what the company describes as one of the most regulated blockchain ecosystems designed for tokenised assets.

The achievements highlight Finvasia’s broader strategy of bringing traditional financial assets onto blockchain infrastructure while ensuring compliance, transparency and investor protection remain central to adoption.

Read more-Finvasia CEO Tajinder Virk on why investing platforms are due for a reset

The milestones were recognised in Dubai, with senior government officials, Guinness World Records representatives, investors, industry leaders and members of the global media attending the ceremonies.

The developments also reinforce the UAE’s growing position as a global centre for blockchain innovation, digital assets and real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation.

Dealing.com brings thousands of global stocks onto a single platform

The Dealing.com Guinness World Records achievement marks a major development in the evolution of digital investing.

Traditionally, investors seeking exposure to international equities have had to navigate multiple financial systems. This often includes opening accounts with foreign brokers, managing different currencies, connecting with local banking providers, working with custodians and complying with separate regulatory requirements.

Finvasia believes tokenisation can simplify this process by allowing real-world assets to be represented digitally while preserving the underlying economic rights attached to those assets.

Tajinder Virk, co-founder and CEO of Finvasia Group and Dealing, said the difference between synthetic assets and true asset-backed tokenisation is critical.

“When an investor wants to invest in a specific stock, what does he have to do? He has to have an account with a broker in that country. Then he needs access to a bank account, transfer money in that country’s currency, have a custodian there, and so on,” Virk said.

“When we tokenise an asset, there are two ways to tokenise a stock. One is by creating a synthetic representation of the stock. The other is by tokenising the actual underlying stock, where the token truly represents the underlying asset.”

He said true tokenisation means the digital representation is connected to the actual asset, allowing investors to benefit from shareholder rights and corporate actions.

“That means any dividends, voting rights, shareholder benefits, mergers, acquisitions, or any other corporate actions are reflected in the token,” Virk said.

“It is not cash-settled, it represents the actual underlying stock.”

According to Finvasia, Dealing.com now provides investors access to more than 70,000 investment opportunities across more than 15 global markets through a single account.

The platform includes traditional financial instruments such as stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), currencies, commodities, crypto and indices, alongside thousands of tokenised stocks and tokenised ETFs.

A new model for global market access

Virk said the technology behind tokenisation has the potential to remove significant friction from the existing financial system.

Creating such an ecosystem requires connecting multiple components of traditional finance, including banks, exchanges, custodians, clearing systems and regulatory frameworks across different jurisdictions.

“The user simply presses the Buy or Sell button, while everything else happens seamlessly in the background on the blockchain in a transparent manner, and settlement happens almost instantly,” Virk said.

“That is where we believe this is revolutionary because it not only brings nearly 70 per cent of the world’s stocks onto a single platform for tokenized trading, but it also redefines how the industry is going to operate.”

The company believes blockchain-based settlement could significantly reduce transaction timelines.

“Will there be the same need for stock exchanges in the future? Will there be the same need for the traditional ecosystem built around exchanges, clearing members, custodians, brokers, technology providers, and all the other intermediaries that were designed in the 1930s, when today we’re in 2025–26?” Virk said.

“That whole industry is going to change significantly because what we’ve shown the world today is that 70 per cent of the world’s stocks can be tokenized on a single blockchain and transacted on a single blockchain.”

“If the traditional settlement cycle of 48 hours can be reduced to just six seconds, that’s industry-changing.”

Blockmaze focuses on compliance-driven blockchain adoption

While blockchain technology has attracted significant attention from investors and financial institutions, Finvasia believes regulation will determine whether tokenised assets achieve mainstream adoption.

Blockmaze’s Guinness World Records recognition reflects the company’s focus on building regulated infrastructure that enables institutions to participate in tokenisation without having to create complex compliance systems from the ground up.

Tajinder Virk said regulatory readiness is essential for the next phase of blockchain adoption.

“There is no other way to do tokenization unless you have the necessary licenses across different jurisdictions,” he said.

“It takes years to build an ecosystem with so many regulations and licenses while dealing with all the compliance requirements and walking that very thin line to ensure you’re always compliant.”

Blockmaze provides infrastructure connecting licensing, compliance, custody, payments and market access, allowing institutions and financial platforms to develop tokenised products more efficiently.

“For any institution that’s looking to tokenise assets, if they are legitimate and licensed, they can come to Blockmaze and leverage this entire ecosystem and infrastructure,” Virk said.

“It connects them to banking, payments, stock markets, regulatory frameworks, SCA regulations, and other compliance requirements around the world.”

He added that the platform allows businesses to focus on innovation rather than building every component internally.

“Instead of building everything from scratch, they can build on top of our infrastructure, go to market much faster, and do so in a compliant and regulated manner while ensuring that investors are also protected,” Virk said.

Why regulation will define the future of tokenised assets

Finvasia believes the biggest opportunity for blockchain lies not only in technology but also in creating trust among investors and institutions.

Virk highlighted the difference between the size of the cryptocurrency market and the broader global financial ecosystem.

“If you look at the world today, the total market capitalisation of the crypto industry is only about $3tn, compared to global assets under management of roughly $600tn,” he said.

“Crypto still represents less than 1 per cent of the world’s total assets under management.”

According to Virk, limited regulatory clarity has been one of the biggest barriers preventing institutional participation.

“The most talked-about asset class has still not grown beyond a tiny fraction of global AUM because there wasn’t enough regulatory clarity or compliance to protect investors,” he said.

“Institutional capital wasn’t able to enter the market at scale, and global adoption in a compliant manner couldn’t really happen.”

He believes regulation and technology must advance together.

“Unless you make something compliant, you cannot achieve mass adoption,” Virk said.

“That’s why regulation is just as important as technology. It creates trust, enables institutional participation, protects investors, and ultimately drives large-scale adoption.”

Global recognition for Blockmaze’s regulated ecosystem

Blockmaze’s Guinness World Records achievement was awarded after a review of its regulatory credentials and ecosystem structure.

The recognition was presented to Tajinder Virk, co-founder and CEO of Finvasia Group and Blockmaze; Sarvjeet Virk, co-founder and MD of Finvasia Group; and Puneet Mangla, co-founder and COO of Blockmaze.

Blockmaze said its ecosystem brings together the key elements required for regulated tokenisation, including asset issuance, custody, liquidity, payments and compliance.

Puneet Mangla said the recognition represents years of work focused on building institutional-grade blockchain infrastructure.

“The Guinness World Records title is a testament to our shared vision and to our teams’ years of dedication, perseverance and commitment to building one of the world’s most trusted blockchain ecosystems,” Mangla said.

“This achievement is more than a milestone for Blockmaze. It reflects the direction in which the industry is heading.”

He added that trust will be central to the next stage of digital finance.

“The future of tokenised finance will be led by platforms that combine innovation with trust, institutional-grade infrastructure and global compliance,” Mangla said.

“We believe this achievement will strengthen confidence in global tokenisation, encourage greater cross-border investment, and support the next phase of global digital financial markets.”

UAE strengthens position as tokenisation hub

The Guinness World Records achievements come as the UAE continues to position itself as a leading destination for blockchain and digital asset innovation.

Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, welcomed Blockmaze’s recognition, saying the milestone reinforces the UAE’s position as a global hub for blockchain, tokenisation and Web3 innovation.

Guinness World Records official adjudicator Mbali Nkosi said the recognitions followed strict verification processes.

“For this record, our team examined the platform data, the documentation, and the regulatory filings against the official record criteria,” Nkosi said.

“Every tokenised stock counted had to be live, active, and publicly available for trading at the time of the attempt.”

She added that Blockmaze achieved a new benchmark for regulated blockchain ecosystems.

“Following a review of available evidence and comparison against existing benchmarks, we found that this was the highest number of qualifying regulator-issued financial licences held by a blockchain ecosystem at launch,” Nkosi said.

As global financial markets continue moving towards digital infrastructure, Finvasia believes tokenisation will become a defining force in expanding access to investment opportunities.

The company’s message is that the next generation of finance will not be built simply around faster technology, but around trusted, compliant and globally accessible financial systems.