News

Hala Gives Drivers A Digital Wallet For Faster Tips & Bonuses

The Careem Pay digital wallet will help 17,000 drivers to fast-track tips, bonuses, and guarantees by the end of July.

Published

1 year ago

July 5, 2023

Nour Nasir

Hala

Hala, Dubai’s e-hailing platform launched in 2019, now accounts for over 30% of total taxi trips, with users booking their journeys directly from the Careem app.

Now, the company’s drivers will also benefit from Careem Pay, with a new feature allowing them to expedite more frequent payments of their tips and bonuses. The digital wallet will be gradually rolled out to every Hala Captain (driver), with over 17,000 benefiting from twice-weekly payments by the end of July.

Careem integration allows easier management of expenses, a simple way to recharge mobile plans, and enables drivers to transfer money directly to any bank account within the app in a single click or screen tap. In addition, as 70% of Hala’s drivers are of Pakistani origin, they will also benefit from improved exchange rates when sending money back to Pakistani-based bank accounts.

Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East

“At Hala, we are deeply committed to the well-being of our captains as we work to build a people-first culture. We have thus decided to launch this initiative for captains to be able to receive remuneration more frequently and with ease,” explained Khaled Nuseibeh, Chief Executive Officer at Hala, adding: “We are working with our partners to expand the remit further to ensure we are catering to everyone equally”.

As Dubai’s plans to modernize and improve its transport infrastructure continue at breakneck speed, the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) recently unveiled a plan to phase out conventional street-hailing of taxis in favor of e-hailing services — a move that’s sure to improve Hala’s fortunes over the coming years.

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.