At the Gitex Global 2021, smart city solutions, hybrid working and digitalisation was on everyone’s mind, and for the tech giants, including Microsoft, Huawei, Amazon Web Services and Cisco, it is all about how to move it to the next level.
From Microsoft presenting solutions to build sustainable smart cities to Cisco unveiling innovative ways to accelerate digital transformation, here’s our round-up of some of the big announcements at Gitex Global:
Microsoft’s next-generation smart city solutions
Microsoft showcased its latest technological innovations in the future of work and sustainable smart cities and what it means for the UAE’s National Agenda 2030.
In partnership with Schneider Electric and AVEVA, Microsoft will unite IoT, advanced analytics and AI to create a smart city console that can provide real-time insights into the vital aspects of city resources and services, such as water and electricity consumption, traffic management, and public safety. Based on these insights, the solution will enable decision makers to forecast energy needs and make strategic decisions that will play a major part in Dubai’s attainment of targets set out in its Clean Energy Strategy 2050.
In addition to sustainable cities, Microsoft showcased a range of products and solutions that allow employees to work, learn, and play under new flexible relationships with employers, all fuelled by the intelligent cloud and its attendant technologies.
From the new Windows 11 to Surface 4 laptops, the tech giant showed how a balance could be struck between in-person and digital collaboration. It presented the latest Microsoft Teams features and Viva Connections, Microsoft’s suite of solutions designed to promote employee well-being.
Also Read: Huawei Launches Open-Cloud Partnership Programme For
Huawei’s dive into digital
Under the theme of Dive into Digital, Huawei presented a comprehensive series of summits, exhibitions, and partnerships, demonstrating the growing value of digitalisation to national economies and how cutting-edge technologies are likely to be applied across vertical industries in the year ahead. It showed the applications of emerging technologies like cloud, 5G, and green technologies, which are more important in a post-pandemic era where all industries are looking for opportunities to be more efficient, versatile, and resilient.
The company showcased end-to-end industry digital transformation solutions as well as future-oriented ICT infrastructure. This includes the HUAWEI Cloud capabilities and how organisations can use the cloud to support technology grounding in various application scenarios.
Amazon to boost Abu Dhabi’s digital transformation
As part of its strategy to build and enhance cloud computing technical skills and capabilities in the government sectors, the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) signed an agreement to collaborate with Amazon Web Services (AWS) at Gitex Global. The collaboration aims to support the digital transformation journey, promote capacity building in cloud computing in Abu Dhabi, and encourage the exchange of experiences and best international practices in this increasingly important field.
AWS will be launching data centres in the UAE in the first half of 2022, providing advanced cloud technologies that enable organisations of all sizes across the private and public sectors to innovate faster and accelerate their digital transformation.
Also Read: Huawei To Invest $15M To Push Cloud Computing In The Middle
Cisco’s latest suite of technologies
Under the theme of Discover Digital Acceleration, Cisco presented its latest suite of technologies designed to advance digital transformation, a range of solutions including AI, machine learning, IoT sensory information and video analytics, and concept initiatives. All designed to help customers connect, secure, and automate to accelerate their digital agility in a cloud-first world. It published its New Trust Standard, which assesses the trustworthiness of an organisation’s digital transformation.
At the event, Cisco demonstrated the future of how intelligent networks can enable new possibilities for a sustainable, inclusive future and introduced its new Hybrid Work Index (HWI), which is essentially a study to gain insights into the working habits of people in this new hybrid environment. With HWI, business leaders can use the information to make better decisions about implementing their hybrid working strategies.
Also, Cisco and Miral announced a partnership to enhance Yas Island’s smartphone application, which will enhance visitor experiences at the island’s attractions.
Avaya targets educational establishments
Avaya unveiled interesting things with its Spaces collaboration product. It developed a Smart Learning Platform, which has allowed them to target educational establishments worldwide, and Spaces was integrated into customer’s platforms to create new immersive experiences. Demonstrating digital buying experience, Avaya showed how customers could initiate interactions with agents straight from the browser in a secure manner.
VMware’s cloud and modern apps innovations
VMware exhibited its latest innovations in multi-cloud, apps modernisation, digital workspace and security. It demonstrated how organisations could thrive amid current challenges by embracing a multi-cloud approach that provides the flexibility to launch modern applications and empower a secure, distributed workforce.
The company promoted an enterprise-class modern applications development platform based on its Tanzu portfolio deployed across multi-cloud environments with intrinsic security. In addition, VMware showcased an end-user experience for distributed teams, using its cloud services to demonstrate VMware Anywhere Workspace with security tools and governance in place.
Also Read: Creating Smart Cities: Enabling Technologies And Challenges
Ericsson’s limitless connectivity
Ericsson showcased the latest 5G technology innovations and emerging use cases for consumers and enterprises across the Middle East. Through live and interactive demonstrations, Ericsson highlighted how its 5G technology portfolio is building communication networks for the future while also supporting digital transformation across the Middle East region.
According to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, 5G will account for 73 per cent of all mobile subscriptions in the Gulf Council Cooperation countries by the end of 2026. As a result, the value proposition for 5G and networks for the future has never been stronger.
Ericsson and Zain Jordan also signed a strategic agreement for the modernisation and the expansion of voice services using the existing Ericsson Cloud IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem). The strategic modernisation of Zain Jordan’s network will support migration to 4G/LTE networks.
The agreement supports capacity expansion using the Ericsson Cloud IMS solution to enable voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Wi-Fi calling for businesses and consumers across Jordan. The Cloud IMS solution delivers rich real-time communication services for both consumer and business users over any access network, for any device type, including smartphones, smart speakers, and wearables, and supports Zain Jordan’s goals for advanced network capabilities in Jordan.
Also Read: Google Cloud And Ericsson Partner To Deliver 5G And Edge
