News
Abu Dhabi’s G42 Acquires $100 Million Share In ByteDance
The move comes as TikTok considers a separation from its parent company to address ongoing privacy concerns.

Thanks to substantial government investment, Abu Dhabi is rapidly emerging as a MENA tech hub, and with that, high-profile investments are taking place on a frequent basis. Abu Dhabi-based AI firm G42 continued the trend by recently acquiring a $100 million-plus stake in ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok.
G42 is led by the UAE’s Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who acquired the stake from existing investors through the 42XFund.
Shortly after the move, another fund invested $225 billion to acquire ByteDance, a figure well off the company’s peak valuation of $460 billion back in 2021.
Also Read: Top 10 Best Video Games Set In The Middle East
It’s thought that G42’s investment was a nod to ByteDance’s long-term potential as the Chinese economy finally begins to rebound from endless pandemic restrictions. The growing enthusiasm for AI could also be part of renewed interest in ByteDance, as TikTok is acknowledged as pioneering algorithms a decade ago to get users hooked on videos and news.
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.