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Rotana’s Music Library Is Back On Anghami
The partnership with Rotana is expected to attract even more listeners to Anghami, which already has 75 million users from around the world.
All users of Anghami, the MENA region’s leading music and entertainment streaming platform, have a reason to celebrate because Rotana Music Holding, the largest record label and music repertoire holder in the Arab world, has just agreed to bring its large music library back to the platform.
We say “back” because Rotana was one of Anghami’s key partners when the service launched in 2012. The partnership ended when Rotana decided to move its copyrighted content to Deezer, which is partially owned by Rotana’s owner Al Waleed Bin Talal.
Anghami’s recent growth following its listing on the NASDAQ stock exchange on 4 February 2022, which caused its shares to grow by 80 percent and its market capitalization to exceed $500 million, might be a reason why the two companies are partners again.
Rotana’s music library includes some of the most popular Arab artists, such as Mohammad Abdo, Abdul Majeed Abdullah, Rashid Al Majid, Abdullah Al Ruwaished, Majed Al Mohandes, Rabeh Saqr, Nawal Al Kuwaitiya, and Ahlam.
The agreement for the partnership was signed Salem Al Hindi, CEO of Rotana Music Holding and Eddy Maroun, Anghami’s co-founder and CEO.
“We are thrilled to commence this partnership with Anghami, which will also strengthen the relationship between Rotana and its artists,” said Salem Al Hindi. “Rotana and its artists. We are confident that this collaboration will expand the business even further with the purpose of reaching Rotana music fans across the world.”
Also Read: Disney+ Confirms Its Middle East Launch Date
Eddy Maroun said that he was delighted to welcome Rotana to Anghami. “There is no better way to celebrate Anghami’s tenth year and next chapter, than expanding our library of 72 million songs to include Rotana’s authentic Arabic content and rewarding fans with a wealth of original tracks,” he added.
The partnership with Rotana is expected to attract even more listeners to Anghami, which already has 75 million users from around the world.
News
Samsung Smart Glasses Teased For January, Software Reveal Imminent
According to Korean sources, the new wearable will launch alongside the Galaxy S25, with the accompanying software platform unveiled this December.
Samsung appears poised to introduce its highly anticipated smart glasses in January 2025, alongside the launch of the Galaxy S25. According to sources in Korea, the company will first reveal the accompanying software platform later this month.
As per a report from Yonhap News, Samsung’s unveiling strategy for the smart glasses echoes its approach with the Galaxy Ring earlier this year. The January showcase won’t constitute a full product launch but will likely feature teaser visuals at the Galaxy S25 event. A more detailed rollout could follow in subsequent months.
Just in: Samsung is set to unveil a prototype of its augmented reality (AR) glasses, currently in development, during the Galaxy S25 Unpacked event early next year, likely in the form of videos or images.
Additionally, prior to revealing the prototype, Samsung plans to introduce…
— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) December 3, 2024
The Galaxy Ring, for example, debuted in January via a short presentation during Samsung’s Unpacked event. The full product unveiling came later at MWC in February, and the final release followed in July. Samsung seems to be adopting a similar phased approach with its smart glasses, which are expected to hit the market in the third quarter of 2025.
A Collaborative Software Effort
Samsung’s partnership with Google has played a key role in developing the smart glasses’ software. This collaboration was first announced in February 2023, with the device set to run on an Android-based platform. In July, the companies reiterated their plans to deliver an extended reality (XR) platform by the end of the year. The software specifics for the XR device are expected to be unveiled before the end of December.
Reports suggest that the smart glasses will resemble Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in functionality. They won’t include a display but will weigh approximately 50 grams, emphasizing a lightweight, user-friendly design.
Feature Set And Compatibility
The glasses are rumored to integrate Google’s Gemini technology, alongside features like gesture recognition and potential payment capabilities. Samsung aims to create a seamless user experience by integrating the glasses with its broader Galaxy ecosystem, starting with the Galaxy S25, slated for release on January 22.