Qualcomm, Aramco Digital to develop AI-enabled 5G industrial smartphone
Image: Getty Images
Qualcomm Technologies and Aramco Digital will collaborate to develop the world's first AI-enabled industrial 5G smartphone with native support for the 450MHz spectrum, aimed at advancing industrial connectivity and digital transformation.
Revealed at LEAP 2025, the new industrial smartphone will enhance connectivity for 5G IoT devices, edge computing, and industrial applications, initially targeting advanced solutions for Aramco, one of the world's leading integrated energy and chemicals companies.
The devices will be powered by Qualcomm's QCM8550 and QCM6490 processors, which offer native 5G support in the 450MHz spectrum, providing improved communication and data transfer capabilities for industrial environments.
Aramco Digital-Qualcomm Technologies collab to prioritise innovation
'At Aramco Digital, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of technological innovation. This collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, introducing the world's first AI-enabled industrial smartphone with 450MHz support, represents a significant milestone in our journey to empower industries with next-generation connectivity,' said Eid Alharbi, connectivity president at Aramco Digital.
'By utilising cutting-edge 5G and AI technologies, we are enabling smarter, more sustainable industry that aligns with the kingdom's Vision 2030 and beyond, driving industrial transformation not only within Saudi Arabia but across the globe,' Alharbi added.
Nakul Duggal, group GM at Qualcomm Technologies, highlighted the impact of advanced connectivity on the industrial sector. 'The industrial sector is being transformed by advanced technologies, and our industrial smartphones with native support for 450MHz are another vital component in enabling industries to become more connected, efficient, safe, and sustainable.'
'Qualcomm Technologies is excited to collaborate with Aramco Digital to help them develop innovative solutions in Saudi Arabia, supporting the kingdom's industrial transformation in alignment with their Vision 2030,' he added.
The collaboration follows previous deployments by Qualcomm and Aramco Digital, including Aramco's first GenAI industrial IoT solutions, which have improved safety, efficiency, and sustainability at company sites.
The new industrial smartphones will further expand access to these applications.
Qualcomm's 450MHz processors and the industrial smartphone prototype are on display at
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
41 minutes ago
- Zawya
Johnson Controls Arabia targets Saudi mega projects, export growth
As Saudi Arabia advances its Vision 2030 industrial diversification goals, HVAC and Smart Buildings technology company Johnson Controls Arabia (JCA) is expanding its local manufacturing capabilities and offering decarbonisation solutions for sectors such as healthcare, infrastructure, and commercial real estate. '…we go beyond simply supplying HVAC systems, we help organisations significantly reduce energy consumption and emissions through tailored energy solutions,' said JCA's CEO Dr Mohanad Alshaikh. He told Zawya Projects that the company, as one of the Kingdom's first licensed Energy Service Companies (ESCOs), contributed to over 500 million Saudi riyals ($133 million) in client savings and helped avoid more than 300,000 metric tonmes of CO2 emissions since 2020. 'These aren't just statistics. They represent tangible improvements for hospitals, data centres, commercial buildings, and government facilities across the Kingdom,' he said. 'Whether it's through national programs like Tarshid, or partnerships with key clients, our focus is on delivering measurable, lasting impact,' he added. The company is also supporting local manufacturing through high-efficiency products like the YORK YVAA Style B air-cooled chiller. 'It's produced right here in Saudi Arabia, fully aligned with the Saudi Made Programme, combining global engineering standards with local innovation,' Alshaikh noted. Scale and performance testing JCA recently manufactured the largest air-cooled chiller produced in Saudi Arabia—a 600-tonne capacity system. The achievement was enabled by collaboration with Johnson Controls' global engineering teams and the development of a dedicated production line at its YORK Manufacturing Complex in in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), Johnson Control's largest facility in MENA, Europe, and Latin America. Alshaikh said the chiller is designed to meet the growing needs of mega projects in the region. 'This chiller addresses a critical market need: energy-efficient, high-capacity cooling for mission-critical sectors,' he said. 'For industries such as healthcare, infrastructure, industrial facilities, and commercial real estate, it offers a powerful solution that's not only locally manufactured but performance-tested and certified within the Kingdom.' The complex also houses the region's first AHRI-certified testing lab capable of testing air-cooled chillers up to 600 tonnes, allowing factory acceptance testing within Saudi Arabia. According to Alshaikh, AHRI certification enhances JCA's ability to secure major projects by providing third-party verification of product performance to international standards. 'Previously, chillers of this size had to be shipped to countries like China or the U.S. for testing. Now, that capability exists locally, enhancing transparency, trust, and timelines,' he noted, adding that JCA's is the first and only AHRI- certified lab in the Kingdom for testing air-cooled chillers up to 600 tonnes. The ability to demonstrate verified performance in-house builds confidence with customers and gives the company's engineering teams faster data-driven feedback loops for continuous improvement, noted Alshaikh. 'For consultants and project stakeholders, it means they can verify chiller performance under standardised, controlled conditions, eliminating costly field testing, reducing project risk, and accelerating approvals,' he said. 'For clients, it's a guarantee of performance, certified to international standards, without leaving the Kingdom.' Expansion and export plans The YORK Manufacturing Complex, which currently operates 11 production lines, manufactures over 80 percent of JCA's regional product sales. Alshaikh said JCA plans to introduce new product platforms designed and built in Saudi Arabia, with ambitions to double its export output to 60 percent by 2027. 'Our investment roadmap includes expanding testing infrastructure, deepening partnerships with academic institutions and increasing the localization of high-tech components,' he said, adding that the goal is to position the complex as a platform for Saudi-engineered innovation and global product development. The AHRI certification, Alshaikh noted, gives JCA a competitive edge, enabling the company to export to over 26 countries, including China and the United States. In 2024, JCA launched its largest export initiative with a phased delivery of 1,000 YORK scroll chillers to the U.S. 'It's proof that when you combine world-class engineering with local commitment, the result is Saudi-made products trusted around the world,' Alshaikh concluded. (Reporting by Eman Hamed; Editing by Anoop Menon) (
Arabian Business
5 hours ago
- Arabian Business
Saudi Arabia's economy grows 3.4% in Q1 2025 as non-oil sector leads the way
Saudi Arabia's economy expanded by 3.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, according to new data released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The Kingdom's robust economic performance was driven primarily by a 4.9 per cent surge in non-oil activities, alongside a 3.2 per cent increase in government activities. Meanwhile, oil-related activities declined slightly by 0.5 per cent, underscoring the country's ongoing shift towards economic diversification under Vision 2030. Saudi GDP 2025 On a seasonally adjusted basis, real GDP increased by 1.1 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. GASTAT's report highlighted that non-oil activities were the largest contributors to real GDP growth on an annual basis, adding 2.8 percentage points to the total. Government activities contributed 0.5 percentage points, while net product taxes added a further 0.2 percentage points. Among individual sectors, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels stood out with the highest annual growth rate of 8.4 per cent in Q1 2025, and a quarterly growth of 0.7 per cent, reflecting a rebound in consumer demand and tourism activity.
Zawya
5 hours ago
- Zawya
Yango Tech to let businesses boost their products in AI chatbots with genAI platform
Dubai, UAE – Yango Tech, the unified ecosystem delivering tailored advanced B2B technology solutions to local businesses within Yango Group, has announced the upcoming launch of its GenAI Platform —a first-of-its-kind system in the MENA region designed to help retailers and brands gain top visibility and engage with customers across AI chatbots such as Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. The GenAI Platform will allow retailers to list and promote their products directly within AI-powered chat interfaces, turning everyday conversations into high-intent shopping experiences. For example, when customers search for queries like 'Best sneakers under $200' or 'Where to buy new hairstyler', retailers using the GenAI Platform can appear as the top result, providing real-time pricing and availability. Initial rollouts of the GenAI Platform are set to begin with select retailers in the MENA region by the end of 2025. One of the key benefits for retailers is improved discoverability. Rather than depending exclusively on web or app traffic, businesses can now be featured prominently within AI chat results, aligning their offerings with high-intent product searches and increasing the likelihood of conversion. For example, a regional e-grocery retailer using Yango Tech's GenAI Platform can ensure their freshest produce is highlighted first when a customer queries meal planning options on Perplexity. Max Avtukhov, Chief Executive of Yango Tech Retail, said: "With AI-driven neuro platforms becoming a dominant new channel for everyday search, Yango Tech's GenAI Platform marks a bold step forward. Today's consumers are turning to AI chat tools for everything from travel advice to tailored product suggestions, ushering in a new era of seamless personalized shopping experiences. It's a massive shift—from desktop to mobile browser search, and now to intelligent conversational platforms. We understand what it takes to win in this space first. This shift is an entirely new commerce environment, and with our GenAI Platform, we will give retailers the infrastructure they need to not only show up but to win in this space first.' At the core of the platform is Yango Tech's MCP Router, a system that acts as a central translator and traffic manager. It collects product-related queries from different AI platforms, routes them to the merchant's content systems (known as MCPs), and delivers ranked results back to the user in real-time. The result is a new channel for conversational commerce, where customer engagement meets immediate transaction potential. The launch of the platform comes at a time of massive regional momentum. AI is projected to contribute up to $150 billion to GCC economies and the conversational AI market is projected to exhibit a growth rate of 23.6% by 2033 in the region, while MENA's retail sector is expected to grow to $1.4 trillion by 2032. The GenAI Platform also ensures multi-interface support, allowing brands to scale effortlessly across millions of daily interactions while maintaining low response times and consistent messaging. This scalability is essential as 40% of the time, 80% of users rely on AI when searching online. Following the MENA rollout, Yango Tech plans to expand the GenAI Platform to Latin America and other markets throughout 2026, supporting global retailers in capturing attention and revenue across the AI frontier. About Yango Tech Yango Tech, a part of the global tech company Yango Group, is a unified ecosystem delivering advanced B2B technology solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of modern businesses. The company offers an integrated suite of tools, spanning warehousing, mobility, retail, and beyond, designed to help businesses streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive sustainable growth. The ecosystem includes AI technology solutions for retailers Yango Tech Retail, last mile delivery Yango Tech Autonomy, AI-powered automation solution for warehouses Yango Tech Robotics, advertising solutions Retail Media, last-mile delivery management solution RouteQ, cloud platform Yango Tech Cloud, corporate browser for organizations Yango Tech Browser, and database YangoDB. By leveraging cutting-edge AI-powered innovations, Yango Tech empowers companies to stay competitive and thrive in an increasingly digital world.
