News

NEOM And Volocopter Partner To Create World’s First Bespoke Public eVTOL Mobility System

These first eVTOL aircraft will connect NEOM’s core urban development, called the Line, with other regional destinations.

Published

3 years ago

December 10, 2021

David Morelo

Volocopter

The concept of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft should be familiar to all fans of sci-fi literature, movies, and video games.

Because of their ability to take off and land vertically, such aircraft are suited for operation in densely populated urban areas that would easily trap even small airplanes. Since eVTOL aircraft rely on electric propulsion, they generate much less noise pollution compared with traditional helicopters.

Now, Volocopter, a German eVTOL aircraft manufacturer based in Bruchsal has established a joint venture (JV) company with NEOM, a planned smart city in the Tabuk Province of northwestern Saudi Arabia that aims to realize a daring vision of what the future could be.

neom partnership with volocopter

The goal of the new company is to design, implement, and operate the world’s first bespoke public vertical mobility system in NEOM. Once operational, the system will provide air taxi and logistics services and integrate with the rest of NEOM’s multi-modal and zero-emissions public mobility system.

“We are incredibly excited and proud to partner with Volocopter to make vertical mobility a reality here at NEOM. Volocopter is internationally recognized for leading innovation in the eVTOL industry and is a perfect match for our ambitious goals to create the first truly sustainable, shared, and seamlessly integrated mobility system in the world” said Florian Lennert, Head of Mobility, NEOM.

The JV has so far ordered 10 VoloCity passenger and 5 VoloDrone logistics aircraft from Volocopter, and plans are already in place to scale up activities from the beginning of 2022.

These first eVTOL aircraft will connect NEOM’s core urban development, called the Line, with other regional destinations. The Line is supposed to be a 170 km long linear city without conventional cars, and it will be home to over 1 million citizens when finished.

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.

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2024

Nour Nasir

samsung smart glasses teased for january software reveal imminent

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.