Live: All the views and news from GITEX Global in Dubai

The tech event runs from October 17-21 at the Dubai World Trade Centre

by Gulf Business

October 19, 2021

DAY 3

5.30pm:

That’s wrap for today. We’ll leave you with this amazing image of a 5g powered robot which you will find at the Etisalat stand at GITEX.

4.15pm:

Another new innovation that you can catch at GITEX is the so-called “world’s first smart ring” – the Zikr Ring, which has been released by iQibla.

The ring, which has been developed in collaboration with Chinese company Umeox Innovation, will assist its users in their religious rituals and daily worship.

Made of new alloy material, the ring is also waterproof.

12.20pm:

Another new launch has come from HTC Vive, which has unveiled the Vive Flow – a new lightweight VR device. The device will enable users to meditate with apps like Tripp, watch TV or movies on their own personal, cinema-sized VR screen, use brain training apps and collaborate on Vive Sync.

Vive Flow retails for Dhs2,299 in UAE and will be exclusively available at Etisalat with pre-orders starting from the first week of November.

10.40am:

Welcome back to the third day of GITEX. The mood here remains abuzz with new announcements continuing from participants.

Hcomm, an Italian multimedia innovator, has launched what it claims is the world’s first multi-sensory technological transformation product at the tech show.

‘The World of Sensations’ experience allows people to transform their homes, offices and public spaces with an immersive multi-sensory package including digital art and sounds, sights, and smells, piped into a 180-degree room lined with LED screens.

This is what it looks like…

DAY 2

6pm:

And with that we come to an end of day 2. We leave you with some of images showcasing the future of mobility.

3.30pm:

News about startup investment news has been dominating the headlines at GITEX today. Dubai-based incubator in5 announced that its startups recently crossed the Dhs1.4bn investment mark. The direct investments came through venture capital and angel investors. Some of the startups that secured significant investments include buy-now-pay-later tabby, which raised approximately Dhs485m in the last year, sunglasses e-commerce company Eyewa, which secured Dhs77m in total funding and agritech startup Desert Control, which raised approximately Dhs85m in its initial public offering (IPO) on Euronext Growth Oslo, a multilateral trading facility operated by the Oslo Stock Exchange.

Meanwhile asset management group Azimut and Gellify Middle East have partnered to launch a MENA-focused VC fund aimed at raising $50m capital.

The new VC fund will focus on B2B startups in the MENA region, covering seed-stage, market phase and ready to scale startups in the areas of smart city, healthcare, digital commerce, fintech and tourism.

12.15pm:

The hybrid work model is here to stay but we need to ensure employees have the best experience to continue to be productive with solutions and devices and also make sure the endpoint data centres are secured says Haidi Nossair, senior director, client solutions group – MERAT, Dell Technologies.

11.30am:

Dubai Police is presenting 15 different smart apps and systems built by the General Department of Artificial Intelligence, including their popular smart app and official website, which provide convenient services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

11am:

There are plenty of people on the ground on Day 2. Here are some scenes from the ground. Have you met this robot while at the event?

10am:

We are back on ground in day 2, but will start with a key message that a senior official conveyed at the event yesterday.

In order for AI to truly improve the lives of citizens, it must be accessible to everybody, said Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Economy and Remote Working Applications, in his keynote address on day one of GITEX GLOBAL 2021.

“AI is in every single sector and is collecting all of this incredible data. This wealth of data needs to be protected and it needs to be optimised so that we get the services we need. Ultimately, why do we improve technology? It is to improve the lives of every single person,” he said at the Digital Cities x AI conference.

“But we need to answer some questions. Questions of ethics, privacy, the distribution of this technology so everyone has access to it. Cities will benefit the most from AI, but it shouldn’t just be cities, it needs to be everybody. People in rural areas, people living in suburbs. Everyone should have access to this new technology if we are going to improve lives.”

DAY 1

5.30pm:

And with that we come to an end to day one. One thing is evident from the show – the large-scale events industry is back! We will be back with more updates tomorrow.

4.45pm:

In conversation with Mohammed Bin Sulaiman, CEO, Moro Hub.

Moro Hub is contributing to the UAE net Zero Carbon emission by 2050, by launching a 100 per cent solar powered data centre.

4.15pm:

UAE telecom operator Etisalat usually has one of the brightest and biggest stands at GITEX and this year appears to be no different.

The company is displaying its technological developments across all fields including mobility, health and shopping, among others.

التطوّرات التكنولوجية في كافة المجالات متواصلة ونحن في #EtisalatDigital نواكب هذه التطوّرات ونعرضها لكم في #EtisalatAtGITEX في #جيتكس2021. pic.twitter.com/jh72QZzZl2

— اتصالات (@etisalat) October 17, 2021

3pm:

Come by and have a quick chat with the GB Tech Talk who are present at GITEX in Hall 2.

1.30pm:

In conversation with Mohammed Arif, business group director, Microsoft UAE.

Microsoft is showcasing innovations in areas of sustainable smart cities and tools for organisations to adapt and thrive in the hybrid world.

1pm:

Software AG announces regions first first of its kind IoT Academy which will equip participants understand IoT technologies through practical action and implementation tools.

12.40pm

That the pandemic has altered ways of working is not new, but we are starting to see more date attesting to this.

Cisco today launched its first Hybrid Work Index (HWI) which collects responses from millions of aggregated and anonymous customer datapoints made up of users and leaders at GITEX.

According to the study, 64 per cent of respondents stated that that the ability to work remotely instead of coming into an office directly affects whether they stay or leave a job.

However, there is also uncertainty whether employers will realise the potential of hybrid work: only 47 per cent think that their company will allow working from anywhere versus in-office over the next 6-12 months.

The study also found that an “overwhelming majority” of respondents agree that personal health and wellness, along with flexible work arrangements, are non-negotiables as we move into the future of hybrid work.

11.45am:

Some more visuals from the ground, including some classical music in the background!

11.30am: Long queues, however physical distancing is well in place.

10.30 am:

With the large scale events industry back in form in Dubai [Expo 2020, Arabian Travel Market, Dubai Airshow next month], the region’s largest tech event, GITEX Global, is back for its 41st edition.

Starting from today, the event will run until October 21 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The event will showcase all the mega tech trends shaping the region and the world including artificial intelligence, 5G, cloud, blockchain, cybersecurity, big data, quantum computing, immersive technologies, finance, and other new technologies.

We will live on site and will bring you all the news and views from the ground.

Click here to learn more about what’s new at the event this year.