Dubai-based telecom operator du is going to showcase the potential and benefits of the fifth-generation (5G) cellular technology to the customers at its stores in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
From May 8, residents can experience the speed and latency when compared to 4G before it is commercially launched it in the UAE.
Osman Sultan, CEO of from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), the parent company of du, told TechRadar Middle East recently that its network is ready for 5G and it is happening much sooner than expected.
5G is expected to deliver speeds that are 100 times faster than 4G and can provide up to 10Gbps. Also, where 4G offers a latency of 15-20 milliseconds, 5G will be one millisecond.
Sultan believes that at the start, speed is going to be the key differentiator for 5G which will be targeted more towards outdoor coverage rather than indoor. The latency part will come at a later stage.
“In this quarter, we will have significant 5G coverage in Dubai,” he said. With the 5G new radio access (5G NR) technology, the initial phase will deliver unprecedented high data speeds. Following that, the technology will evolve to deliver the remaining set of capabilities.
The telecom operator aims to install more than 700 5G-enabled stations by the end of 2019.
For this, the operator is expecting a 60 per cent increase in capital expenditure (CapEx) this year to AED 1.6 billion compared to AED 1 billion last year. The company has already invested AED 181 million in the first three months of this year in a bid to ramp up preparations for the launch of 5G and drive digital transformation.
With the likely introduction of 5G in the UAE, Sukhdev Singh, executive director at research and consulting services provider Kantar, said that it is expected that service providers would look at new avenues of business growth which could be driven more by enterprise solutions, at least to begin with.
However, he said that Singh said 5G smartphones and 5G routers for home use are expected to be available in the second half of this year but at relatively higher prices. The operator has signed partnerships with Nokia, Affirmed Networks and MediaTek to launch next-generation Narrow-Band IoT services, which is critical to the successful adoption of 5G technology.
“We are creating a new track of revenue streams by forming alliances as it will enable devices to deliver a wealth of smart city applications ranging from smart metering, smart parking, trackers, smart health, industrial and agriculture use cases,” Sultan said.
The total consumer electronics market in the UAE is expected to grow by 5.97 per cent to AED 14.2 billion this year compared to AED 13.4 billion last year, an industry expert said.
Isam Arshad, a research analyst at Euromonitor International, told TechRadar Middle East that mature products such as laptops, digital cameras and LCD TVs are struggling to remain in demand and manufacturers are keen to push for premium features and technological improvements to boost sales.
“People are looking to buy TVs with sizes over 50 inches and, at the same time; most of the key retailers are also displaying these sizes at their stores. The unit prices for OLED TVs are declining and that is attracting customers. Even the manufacturers have come to a consensus that the prices are extremely high for them to push in the market,” he said.
According to the research firm, the retail value of TV sales is expected to fall by 10.52 per cent to AED 1.7 billion this year compared to AED 1.9 billion last year. Even laptop sales are expected to fall by 12.5 per cent to AED 1.4 billion this year compared to AED 1.6 billion a year ago.
Arshad believes that one of the major reasons people are not buying conventional laptops is due to the cannabilisation of smartphones with people using Microsoft Office apps on their smartphones more than on laptops. However, he does see a surge in demand for gaming laptops. while laptop sales.
Wearables on the rise
Wearables, which are gaining traction in the region with the launch of new models, are expected to reach AED 542 million this year compared to AED 446 million a year ago, witnessing a growth of 21.53 per cent.
“The injection of luxury and fashion brands is also attracting fashionistas, who are more interested in aesthetics than technology,” Arshad said.
However, he said that newer categories such as wireless speakers and wearable electronics are subject to lower price erosion as manufacturers make a concerted effort to incorporate more features and better audio quality to avoid competing in the low-end segment.
He added that manufacturers are incorporating more features (voice assistants) at more affordable price points and voice assistants have become more refined now and can recognise any accent.
It’s a little bizarre to imagine a gaming landscape in which FIFA didn’t exist, but the very first entry in the series didn’t arrive until 1993. Prior to this, soccer simulators weren’t really simulators at all, but more of an arcadey approximation of the beautiful game.
But by the early ’90s, there was a shift in the games development scene where studios wanted to create sports games that closely resembled their real-life counterparts as much as possible. Sensible Soccer was one of the earliest, back in 1992, with its more traditional birds eye view and after touch controls, but when FIFA emerged from the tunnel it had one thing on its mind: true authenticity.
What made FIFA International Soccer different from the rest was… well, FIFA. Publisher EA likely coughed up a lot of money to secure the official licence of the international soccer governing body, but it gave this inaugural entry an instant weight its competitors lacked outside their core brands.
By shifting the view from top-down to an isometric position, FIFA offered more of an intimate approach to player movement and opened up the passing game as a result. It sold well over 500,000 units at the time, an unheard of figure for a brand new sports IP, and secured the development of a sequel – FIFA 95.
We’ve come a long way since FIFA Internal Soccer
From here, the series’ annual release schedule began with haste. The demand for a finely-tuned soccer simulator was clearly there (especially in Europe) and FIFA 95 tapped into this with the removal of one-touch passing and an enhanced take on set-pieces. By the time FIFA 96 rolled around in 1995, more changes were afoot. The advent of more powerful consoles capable of supporting 3D renders enabled original developer Extended Play Productions to create 3D models in a ‘virtual stadium’ that not only utilized real player names and likenesses (a first for the series at this point), but created a far more realistic experience.
By the time FIFA 97 laced up its boots the following year, the series had fully embraced polygonal player models, leaving the sprites utilized in many previous versions behind. The introduction of commentary voice over (another first, courtesy of the legendary John Motson), the inclusion of more official leagues (Malaysia’s M-League being one) and a brilliant six-a-side mode really showed EA was upping its game. When FIFA: World to Road Cup 98 followed it up in 1997, we were starting to see something resembling the level of quality we see today, with more official teams, additional stadia and a proper use of the off-side rule.
FIFA 98 was also the first use of licensed music in the form of Blur’s ‘Song 2’, as well as tracks from Electric Skychurch and The Crystal Method. The slightly sluggish controls of FIFA’s early forway in 3D was also much improved, and by the time FIFA 99 dropped a year later, the addition of better player facial animation and movement helped ease the loss of that beloved indoor six-a-side mode. The M-League was also dropped, but we got two new official leagues from Belgium and Portugal to take its place.
New millennium, new FIFA
Remember back when JVC sponsored Arsenal?
FIFA 2000 welcomed in the new millennium with a handful of small but welcome tweaks to overall play, the introduction of the official Major League Soccer (MLS) league and overhauled commentary from John Motson, Mark Lawrenson and Chris Waddle. The US version included Phil Schoen and Julie Foudy on VO, the first woman to ever be awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award. Shooting was also much improved, but defense became a little less robust as a result.
FIFA Football 2001 helped address some of these issues with precision shooting, but the eighth entry in the series did far more for the franchise than simple tweaks. It was a launch title for the PlayStation 2 in the EU and was the very first entry to support online multiplayer. This was years before the advent of FIFA Ultimate Team, and while it was primitive, the support for online play was a huge deal that would prove to be a deciding factor in its popularity. And with the FIFA licence now including official team badges, the days of fictitious leagues, players and emblems was far disappearing.
The next few years saw more features introduced and removed as EA Canada (the studio that had taken over development of the series from around FIFA 99 onwards) began adding in power bars or shooting and passing, as well as actively making passing and dribbling purposefully more difficult. FIFA Football 2003 added in a ‘freestyle control’ system for more flair when dribbling, while off the ball touches made more intricate passing a reality in FIFA Football 2004. While the next instalment wasn’t a huge improvement, the return of the create-a-player mode was welcomed with open arms.
Rewriting a winning formula
Bless the rains down in AFIFA
FIFA 06, much like FIFA 97 and FIFA 2001 before it, was another milestone for the franchise. EA Canada built a brand new engine for the game, so every element from matchday presentation to ball physics was entirely different when it launched in 2005. It was another step towards simulated realism, as well as vastly improved online multiplayer infrastructure. FIFA 07 continued to tweak the new engine, while FIFA 08 introduced Be A Pro mode for the very first time and cooperative online play.
When FIFA 09 arrived, it brought with it some much needed enhancements to the nuance of play, including better collision and a jostle system when battling for control of the ball. A Clubs mode was added for better online matchmaking in tournaments, while a certain mode called Ultimate Team was added as a downloadable extra on the side. It was a lowkey introduction to an element that would make FIFA one of the most profitable franchises of all time. FIFA 10 gave Manager mode a much needed overhaul, adding in Assistant Manager options in what was touted as a ‘Total Football Experience’ at the time.
The Journey ahead
It’s hard to imagine when we thought these players looked realistic…
Over the next few years, FIFA continued to hold off its biggest competitor – Pro Evolution Soccer – simply by holding onto the official licenses for the world’s biggest soccer leagues and its talent, as well as finding a balance between pure simulation and more accessible modes. From FIFA 10 all the way to FIFA 15 gradually improving individual player skills, passing accuracy and team chemistry. FIFA 14 also saw the transition to the Ignite engine. However, FIFA 16 served as another important milestone by introducing pro female players for the very first time – including motion capture courtesy of Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux, Megan Rapinoe and Steph Catley.
By FIFA 17, EA Canada decided to finally give the only sports sim out there not developed by EA worth its salt – the brilliant NBA 2K series – a run for its money by investing in a proper narrative-driven story mode. Following the exploits of young prospect Alex Hunter, its mixture of player choice and in-match stipulations offered something entirely fresh and new to a series often entirely focused on the intricacies of match day realism. This was also the year EA decided to shift FIFA onto a new engine – DICE’s Frostbite 3. EA continued and conclude The Journey through FIFA 18 and FIFA 19, with the latter carrying the torch first lit in FIFA 16 by enabling you to play as a female player in that same mode.
With FIFA 20 on the horizon, fans are hoping this next instalment will continue to improve the series’ finely-tuned formula. Modes such as Pro Clubs have needed overhauling for years, and there’s hope a little more consistency on the pitch and a merger between Career mode and The Journey could help the next iteration of FIFA be the most important chapter yet.
Read more: Here’s everything we know so far about FIFA 20
The iPhone SE was a one of a kind when it came to the world of phones. A sentence that feels weird considering nothing really stood out about the device. But the factor that brought in the crowds and made iPhone SE deals a choice for the masses was its position as the cheapest iPhone.
But now, it seems like the SE is dying out, very few retailers still stock the device and prices seem sporadic at best. So where do you now turn to get an affordable price from the notoriously expensive Apple? iPhone 6S deals.
The iPhone 6S came out a whole year before the SE and yet, in almost every way it is better. It’s bigger, has a larger battery and stronger processor and offers 3D touch, a feature that never quite made it to the SE. Best of all, the prices have dropped significantly and now cost roughly the same as the iPhone SE at its cheapest, making it the perfect cheap iPhone.
We’ve listed our top picks for iPhone 6S deals below but if none of them quite do it for you, check out our guide to the best mobile phone deals. Whether you feel a calling to Android or a higher-spec iPhone, you’ll find everything there.
Heart set on Apple? Compare the best iPhone deals on our dedicated page
The best cheap iPhone 6S deals
iPhone 6S 32GB | EE | FREE upfront | Unlimited calls and texts | 4GB data | £23pm This deal is fantastic – just £23 per month and absolutely nothing upfront grabs you a 4GB data EE plan. That is more than enough data for your daily social media and internet usage. And it only gets better still when you factor in the fact you’re on EE – the UK’s fastest 4G network. There’s even a little £24 cashback there too, effectively knocking the price down to £22 a month. View Deal
Apex Legends is the latest big name in battle royale gaming but with popularity comes problems and one of the biggest problems for developer Respawn, thus far, appears to be cheaters.
It was only a month after Apex Legends launched that Respawn announced its no nonsense attitude towards cheating. The developer wasn’t forthcoming with information on how it was catching “crafty” cheaters but it did confirm that in March it had already banned more than 350,000 players on PC alone.
Respawn has given fans an update on its fight against cheating players and the number of bans now stands at 770,000.
‘A constant war’
In its post on the Apex Legends subreddit, the developer remained reticent about its methods of catching players out “so as to not give a head’s up to the cheat makers“ but it promised it is “attacking this from every angle, from improvements to detecting cheaters, bolstering resources and tools, to improving processes and other sneaky things to combat sellers and cheaters.”
Whatever Respawn is doing appears to be working. In addition to the 770,000 bans it’s doled out it has also managed to stop more than 300,000 new account creations and has banned 4000 cheat seller accounts in the past 20 days alone. As a result, it says that it’s managed to cut the number of matches on PC with cheating or spamming by half.
This success doesn’t mean Respawn will be easing up any time soon; it calls its actions “It is a constant war with the cheat makers that we will continue to fight.”
This is the latest in the Respawn’s quest to make Apex Legends a quality gaming experience for its fans after it announced that it would be focusing on fewer, better updates “with a focus on quality of content over novelty or speed of release.”
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 is powering some of the best phones on the market in 2019, but we’re already hearing rumors about what the Snapdragon 865 might bring with it – particular in terms of 5G.
According to a tweet from Roland Quandt at WinFuture and a report from GizChina, there could be a version of the flagship chipset without integrated 5G, giving manufacturers more flexibility.
Based on what we’ve heard so far from Qualcomm, a 5G modem is supposedly going to be integrated into the Snapdragon 865, so everything you need to get connected to next-gen speeds will come built in.
While that’s still going to happen as far as we know, a variation without the extra 5G could be used in markets where the cellular tech isn’t available, to keep prices down.
To 5G or not to 5G
With phones including the Samsung Galaxy S10 now available in 5G editions, consumers can now get their hands on 5G smartphones for the first time.
The infrastructure required to support 5G is still in the early stages of rolling out, however: in countries where it is available, you can only pick it up on certain networks in certain cities.
That situation will of course improve over time, but it sounds as though Qualcomm could decide to announce the Snapdragon 865 with and without an integrated 5G modem. We should find out later this year.
Having 5G integrated on at least one Snapdragon 865 model would give manufacturers extra room for other components, and maybe even a bigger battery.
The 2019 MotoGP 2019 season is well under way with the fourth race due to take place this weekend in Spain. On Marc Marquez’s home turf, the Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix is going to be a real battle of a race for everyone else on the tarmac. And you can live stream the MotoGP action using this guide.
Spanish MotoGP 2019 – where and when
The Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix, also known as the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, is held at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto.
The big MotoGP race is due to start at 2pm local time. So that’s 1pm BST, 8am ET, 5am PT.
The Gran Premio Red Bull de España will take place on Sunday, May 5 in Jerez. Last year saw Spain’s own Marc Marquez (Honda) take the victory as he marched towards a third straight world title and five in the last six years. Also competing this year is the legendary Valentino Rossi, for his 19th year racing.
But the 2019 MotoGP hasn’t been plain sailing for Marquez so far, he won in Argentina but Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) took the opening race in Qatar and Alex Rins (Suzuki) took top spot in the US. Will the Spaniards stronghold on title come to an end this year?
To keep up with every knee-scraping turn you can watch all the action using a live stream with this guide. Read on to live stream MotoGP 2019 from anywhere you happen to be in the world.
How to live stream MotoGP from outside your country
To see how you can live stream the MotoGP action in the UK, Australia, the US, Canada and New Zealand, read on further down this page to see the broadcast options. But if you want to stream the riding from outside your country, you may find that it’s geo-blocked.
That’s where a VPN can come in really handy. It’s a piece of software readily available to download and install that allows you to simulate the IP address on your laptop (or mobile phone, tablet, streaming device, console, etc) so that it appears to be in a completely different country. Ideal, assuming that it doesn’t breach any Ts&Cs from the broadcaster you’re trying to tune in to.
That might sound complicated, by VPNs – or Virtual Private Networks – are actually surprisingly easy to operate. Simply select one of our top three best VPN picks below (or opt straight for our number one favorite ExpressVPN), open it up and pick out your country of choice from the ‘choose location’ menu, and then start watching as if you were sat back at home. Easy!
The best 3 VPNs for streaming MotoGP online
1. ExpressVPN: the best all-round VPN for streaming, comes with 30-day money back guarantee and 3 months FREE when you sign up for an annual plan 2. NordVPN: one of the most affordable choices for streaming and really effective, too 3. IPVanish: super secure and able to work on a whopping 10 devices, at the same time
How to stream MotoGP live from Spain in the UK
BT Sport 2 will be showing all the action this year live on TV. The BT Sport app will let you watch on various other devices, too, including laptops, Apple and Android mobile devices and via your Windows 10 device.
BT Sport is available for £6 per month to BT Broadband subscribers but for new customers packages that include broadband, and BT TV start at £35.99 per month.
Not in the UK this weekend? Fear not, check out our advice on using a VPN above, and it will let you watch the UK coverage from wherever on Earth you are.
How to watch the Spanish MotoGP in the US
For US race fans it’s beIN Sports that is your go-to MotoGP coverage provider. That means you can watch via the app or on your TV if you have this available where you are.
Out of the US and want to watch the coverage? No worries – just use a VPN and register to a location showing the race.
How live stream the Spanish MotoGP in Australia
You’re in luck Australia as the MotoGP is streamed on Network Ten, 10 Bold and Fox Sports. So hopefully there’s an option in there that’s either already paid for by your current subscription or one that you can get access to easily. 10 Bold, is free-to-air so should be ideal for most.
Apps mean you can access this from your chosen device wherever you are (although you’ll need a VPN if you’re taking that abroad).
How to watch a Spanish MotoGP live stream in the Canada
Just like your US neighbours, Canadians can enjoy the motorbike racing action on beIN Sports which has the rights to the races for 2019.
For those travelling, you can use a VPN to change your virtual location and still enjoy the race as if you were back in Canada.
How to get a Spanish MotoGP live stream in New Zealand
In New Zealand it’s Sky Sports that has bagged the rights to show all the 2019 MotoGP live. As you’ll likely be aware, it doesn’t come cheap. But there are ways of getting some cheap access.
You should be able to get a Fox Sports package via a great offer if you want to enjoy it for less. The Foxtel Now app works with this, so you can live stream to your preferred device – anywhere using a VPN.
