snapchat users

Snapchat is adding more users, topping 750 million a month

For the year through April 2022, the monthly count rose 20 per cent

Meta sells Giphy to Shutterstock.

Meta launches subscription service for Facebook, Instagram

Meta is testing the subscription product first in Australia and New Zealand, starting later this week

Instagram

Instagram adds new feature to deliver posts directly to followers

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the news on his Instagram account Thursday by creating a channel of his own

Twitter

Twitter access restricted in Turkey days after massive earthquakes

Restrictions to the social-media platform started Wednesday afternoon

Nana

Alwaleed’s Kingdom Holding leads $133m funding for Saudi delivery app Nana

Started in 2016, Nana raised $18m from investors including venture capital fund STV and Middle East Venture Partners

Pinterest

Pinterest joins tech giants in layoffs, slashes 150 jobs 

The company had about 4,000 employees as of the end of the third quarter

Aster pharmacy Talabat

Aster Pharmacy, talabat UAE announce partnership to deliver prescription medicines

Customers can now upload their prescriptions on talabat and have them delivered to their doorsteps in 90 minutes

Microsoft networking issues take down Outlook and Teams

Customers reported difficulties across multiple regions in accessing Microsoft 365 services, including email and videoconferencing tools

Talabat

In pics: Talabat opens new regional HQ in Dubai 

With over 100,000 square feet in space, the headquarters houses almost 2,000 employees

UAE's Edge Group invests $14m in tech company High Lander

UAE’s Edge Group invests $14m in tech company High Lander

Edge aims to utilise High Lander’s Universal UTM solution in autonomous operations management

spotify

Spotify seen cutting staff as soon as this week to cut costs

The music streaming giant has about 9,800 employees, according to its third-quarter earnings report

Botim

UAE’s Astra Tech acquires Botim in a bid to create an ‘ultra app’

Botim has 90 million registered users and 25 million active users

TikTok

TikTok celebrates the most inspiring creators and popular communities

The #ForYouParty which included an immersive event was held at Sound Stage 2, Dubai Studio City

Twitter

Twitter will restore more accounts weekly over next 30 days

Earlier this week, the social network suspended the accounts of several prominent journalists

Uber

Uber conducting probe after vendor hit with cyberattack

Teqtivity, which helps manage and track information technology equipment such as phones and computers, on Monday confirmed the cyberattack

Oversight Board

Meta’s Oversight Board criticises ‘shortcomings’ in protection of VIP accounts

The Oversight Board, which was conceived by and funded by Meta and is comprised of 20 journalists, academics and politicians, began assessing cases last year

Dubai Tabby

Two malls in Dubai introduce buy-now-pay-later option

Al-Futtaim Malls have partnered with Tabby to offer BNPL services at Dubai Festival City Mall and Festival Plaza, Jebel Ali

Meta

Meta fined $277m for leak of half a billion users

The Irish Data Protection Commission levied the fine following a probe that found the social-media company had failed to apply strict safeguards

Uber

Uber appoints new general manager to lead business across the UAE and Levant

Pia El Hachem will be leading Uber’s strategy, operations, policy and business development, while overseeing the company’s end-to-end business

Twitter head of France quits, says ‘it’s over’ in staff exodus

Damien Viel had led the region for about seven years

Saudi’s KHC, Prince Alwaleed’s private office are Twitter’s second largest investor after Elon Musk

Elon Musk has also said that Twitter’s verification process is ‘being revamped right now’

Twitter

Twitter tells staff there aren’t plans for companywide layoffs

Twitter General Counsel Sean Edgett warned workers to expect “tons of public rumours and speculation” as the closing of the deal nears

Microsoft Teams

New partnership brings Microsoft Teams to Cisco meeting room devices

Customers now have the option to run Microsoft Teams by default on Cisco Room and Desk devices

Gitex Global 2022 concludes on Oct 14

Gitex Global, the UAE’s annual tech event, began on October 10 and ended on October 14

Latin America’s biggest startup Kavak expands footprint into Middle East

The Mexico City-based company is branching into the UAE and Oman

Abu Dhabi Data Program

New ‘Abu Dhabi Data Program’ to help emirate’s government entities leverage data to drive growth

Abu Dhabi Data Program aims to harness data powered by a future-ready cross-government technology backbone built on UAE’s national sovereign cloud

Facebook asks users for more help improving its algorithms

Users will soon see “show more” and “show less” buttons on posts that appear in their feed

agility

Kuwait’s Agility Ventures invests in India’s e-commerce platform Shiprocket

The investment was part of Agility’s strategy to expand across digital logistics and e-commerce in high-growth markets

Gaming strategy

Saudi Crown Prince unveils National Gaming and Esports Strategy

The strategy will be implemented through 86 initiatives covering the entire value chain, launched and managed by over 20 government and private entities

Anghami

Streaming platform Anghami expands global footprint via telecom partnerships

Anghami joins hands with Danish telco Hallo and Virgin Mobile Kuwait to provide unlimited access and downloads of songs, podcasts and other audio content