Huawei showcased its Digital Platform based on leading new ICTs including artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), big data and cloud, enabling city-wide intelligence and sustainable development across the international smart city industry, at the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) 2018.

The creation of technologies to make our cities and everyday lives smarter is a growing reality - not least with emerging 5G broadband technology and the growing applications within the Internet of Things (IoT). But as these smart applications grow, both in their innovation and scope of use, so does the need to build a partnership ecosystem through which we can roll out innovations that are leading to nothing less than a digital transformation.

As the global market for the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) continues to experience exponential growth, the entire landscape of the healthcare industry will continue to evolve and change, all in the name of more efficient patient care.

According to a new research report from IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, global shipments of NB-IoT devices reached 53 million units in 2018.

“We have a deep need and desire to connect. Everything in the history of communication technology suggests we will take advantage of every opportunity to connect more richly and deeply,” says Peter Morville, president of Semantic Studios.

The Middle East and Africa (MEA) region has seen an accelerated development in Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Even though it is still adopted in limited verticals, stakeholders are exploring and identifying key areas of growth.

Kerlink, a specialist and global leader in solutions dedicated to the Internet of Things (IoT), announced that the company has been chosen as hardware and software provider for IoT Scotland, a new nationwide, low-power, wide-area (LPWA) network in the country for IoT devices that will allow businesses and public-sector organizations to monitor the productivity and efficiency of assets and equipment without the need for Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity.

The telecommunications industry significantly utilizes the internet of things (IoT), and the latter heavily relies on the former as well. The dependency of telecoms on IoT has attracted more research than the opposite. It is only the use of telecommunications in the Internet of things that is deeply known by many.

The IOTA foundation joins the EU’s Blockchain Initiative to interact with regulators and policy makers in the hopes of progressing global standards.

Las Vegas, one of the world's most iconic and famous cities has accelerated its efforts to become a 'smart city' by entering into a partnership agreement with US technology firm Cisco Systems. Las Vegas, referred to by some as 'Sin City' - brokered an agreement with the US networking colossus as it looks to achieve its ambition which is to become a 'smart connected city'.

The Cedar International Festival has launched a new Smart Forest solution in collaboration with Eurisko Mobility which uses artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) to monitor and protect seven forests in Lebanon.

A McKinsey report entitled “Value Creation in the Metaverse” states that the market value for the metaverse is expected to touch $5 trillion by 2030 – equivalent to the size of the world’s third-largest economy, Japan.

Metro Manila, one of the three metropolitan areas in the Philippines, has just completed an AI-powered video surveillance pilot and revealed that it has partnered with Iveda to work on a series of smart city projects.

Middle East organizations are adopting the latest Internet of Things (IoT) technology infrastructure to drive the wider region's US$ 8 billion market, SAP said.

Saudi telecom operator Mobily (Etihad Etisalat) has awarded Ericsson a modernization contract to upgrade its access network in the western region of Saudi Arabia, deploying the latest features of the Ericsson Radio System.

Nokia is to completely modernize the nationwide LTE network for Ukkoverkot, the Finnish private network operator offering wireless data communications services for infrastructure operators, the industrial IoT market, public safety authorities, the maritime industry and both residents and enterprises in remote areas.

Nokia is working with Japan's NTT DOCOMO to test applications using a 5G base station and the Intel® 5G Mobile Trial Platform end-user device. This demonstrates the potential of Nokia 5G FIRST to deliver enhanced broadband at vastly greater scale. A showcase at the 5G Tokyo Bay Summit 2017 will signal the start of 5G trials in the Tokyo area.

Schneider Electric, the global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, and NXN, a leading provider of end-to-end smart digital services for digital transformation in the smart cities sector, have announced a partnership to deliver advanced solutions for the Arabian Gulf’s urban ecosystems.

Omantel and Oman Oil Marketing Company (OOMCO) have entered a partnership deal to accelerate digital transformation across Oman.

Ooredoo announced the expansion of its Managed Connectivity Platform to Qatar, taking the number of countries covered by the service to four, alongside Indonesia, Tunisia and Kuwait. In expanding the service to major markets, Ooredoo is positioning itself as a leading regional IoT player, and the company is in discussion with a number of global leaders looking to use its network during this week’s Mobile World Congress.