News
Anghami Lab Venue To Bridge Digital And Traditional Entertainment
The Dubai venue is scheduled to open in early 2022.
During the last year and a half, we’ve seen more concerts canceled than performed. Unable to entertain their fans in person, many artists have embraced modern digital alternatives, taking full advantage of social media and music streaming platforms. But it seems that the entertainment industry is finally ready for reopening because Anghami, the leading digital distribution company in the Arab world, has announced its plan to bridge digital and traditional entertainment with its innovative entertainment venue named Anghami Lab.
The new venue will open in the heart of Dubai, and it will feature a studio where artists can work on their music and a venue where they can perform it. The resulting music will then be available for streaming on the Anghami app (available on Windows, Symbian, Windows Phone, Linux, BlackBerry OS, Android, iOS, Chrome OS, OS X, MeeGo, and even PlayStation 4).
To give visitors one more reason to come in, Anghami has partnered with Addmind, the region’s market leader in hospitality, to serve a fusion of Arabic and International recipes that represent the different flavors of music available on the Anghami app.
“We are excited to partner with Addmind to create this unique, transformational experience for our users,” said Eddy Maroun, co-founder and CEO of Anghami. “Anghami Lab is an amazing and unique concept that embodies our rich Arab culture with an international twist, which we are thrilled to bring to fruition and scale,” added Tony Habre, CEO of Addmind.
Also Read: Anghami Review: The MENA’s Favorite Music Streaming Service
The Dubai venue is scheduled to open in early 2022, and more venues are planned to open not long after in Riyadh, Jeddah, Cairo, Beirut, London, New York, Los Angeles, and other global cities.
The announcement of Anghami Lab comes ahead of the proposed merger with Vistas Media Acquisition Company, a special purpose acquisition company. The goal of the merger is to list Anghami on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
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.