👨🏿‍🚀 TechCabal Daily – Apple’s sweet 16

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* Data as of 09:35 PM WAT, June 6, 2022.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM APPLE’S DEVELOPER CONFERENCE

Yesterday, Apple’s 2022 edition of the World Wide Developers’ Conference (WWDC) kicked off with exciting new updates for the iOS family. 

Here’s what’s coming to Apple:

The iOS 16

We’ve all been looking forward to Apple’s sweet iOS 16, the 16th edition of its operating system. We’ve all heard rumours in the past few months but Apple itself has confirmed features that will be coming with the iOS 16 later this year. 

iOS 16 will feature an updated and customisable lock screen panel that will allow you change the font and colour of your date and time, add weather widgets, and calendar events. The lock screen will also come with a Live Activities feature that will give you live updates on things like Uber rides and sports events. 

If you’re excited about Twitter and WhatsApp’s upcoming edit button features, you’ll also love the iOS 16 update for messages. iOS 16 will allow you to edit typos out of sent messages, unsend messages, and mark message threads as unread so you can come back to them later.

We don’t know when exactly but iOS 16 will be released later this year, and only people with iPhone 8 and up will be able to upgrade to the new operating system. 

Bite Buy now, pay later

Apple is also falling for the BNPL craze. 

It announced Apple Pay Later, a new feature that lets you pay in 4 installments when you use Apple’s payments service, Apple Pay. 

Apple Pay Later will be launched with the iOS 16, and users can buy anything and spread their payments across 6 weeks. 

It makes sense that Apple is tapping into a sector with a market value that’s set to double by 2024. 

A chip off the old block

Apple also announced the M2 chip, a new flagship of its chip processors lineup that includes the M1, the M1 Pro, and the M1 Ultra. 

Compared to the M1, the M2 chip will boost CPU performance by 18% while GPUs will receive a 32% boost. The M2 also comes with 100Gbps of memory bandwidth, and 24GB of unified memory, about 50% more bandwidth than the M1. 

There’s only 1 Apple device with the M2 chip for now and it’s the 2022 model of the MacBook Air which has a $1,199 price tag for 8GB or RAM and 256GB of storage. The 16GB/512GB variant will start at $1,499. 

Zoom out: These are only the highlights but Apple announced some other minor updates at the conference. For example, the iFitness app—which was previously only available to people who had Apple Watches—will soon be available on all Apple phones, regardless of if users have an iWatch or not. 

*TechCabal urges all Android users to refrain from commenting on how they had these features first. We sympathise with you but please remember the saying: An Apple a day keeps peace of mind away. 🙏🏿

SENDY PARTNERS WITH GOOGLE

Kenyan logistics startup Sendy has partnered with Google to empower 5000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria through the Google Hustle Academy. 

What is Google Hustle Academy?

It is a boot camp-style training programme organised by Google to teach owners of MSMEs how to “hustle”. It facilitates expert interactive and practical training on business strategy and development, digital marketing, financial planning, and successful pitching.

It also provides access to a global network of mentors and alumni so people can learn how the GOATs do it.

How can you get in?

The training is online and free but only open to businesses in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. Such businesses must have been in operation for more than a year, have developed a business strategy and defined their product or service offering, and are aiming to grow. They must also have made a profit in the previous 12 months or be within 1 to 3 months of breaking even.

If this sounds like you, you can apply here . If it sounds like someone you know, share this newsletter with them.

Through the programme, the logistics startup will support the participating businesses by picking up, packing, and shipping orders to their customers so that they can spend more time focussing on the training.

It will also offer one-on-one mentorship to enable the participants to learn and build their capacity to operate successful businesses.

Sendy is partnering with Google because the programme aligns with its purpose of empowering MSMEs to overcome their challenges, unlock their potential and seize existing opportunities to build sustainable businesses.

We hope they do just that.

WAFR RAISES $1.075 MILLION

Moroccan startup WafR has announced the close of a $1.075 million seed round led by Launch Africa Ventures. First Circle Capital, WeLoveBuzz and other business angels also participated in the funding.

In April, the startup raised $278,000 in funding at a $7.5 million valuation. The funding was secured from UM6P Ventures, Plug and Play Ventures, and several other Moroccan and foreign international angels. 

Now, it has raised an additional $620,000 bringing its total to $1.075 million. Following this funding round, WafR’s valuation increased to $9 million.

What WafR does

WafR is a loyalty-marketing software. It is an application that enables mass retailers in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector to target their advertisements at grocers to increase their sales. 

The application rewards customer loyalty and simultaneously guides consumers’ choices. It enables sellers to earn phone recharges and receive discounts while purchasing goods through the app. At the time of purchase, the grocers also receive brand advertisements in order to steer their purchases toward the promoted brand.

These promotions termed “smart promotions” are directed to grocers to increase the market share of retail brands in the traditional channel. 

How this funding finance WafR’s ambition

The funding raised will be used to expand the startup’s network of grocers. WafR aims to increase its grocery partners by 250% to 50,000. With this increase, WafR will be able to support FMCGs by scaling their promotions to increase their market share.

This investment will also allow WafR to recruit talent and expand its team to accelerate its commercial activities.

OPPORTUNITIES

• The Last Mile Money Startup Accelerator is now open to ventures working at the intersection of last-mile users and financial empowerment. Selected startups will receive design support, access to Last Mile Money’s network, and up to $50,000 in equity-free grants. Apply here. 

• The Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF) Young Leaders Development Fund 2022 is open to applications from young changemakers with experience in media, health, environment, civic participation, education, security, and ICT. Apply for the chance to get up to $40,000 in grants. Check it out.

• The Future Rural Africa’s Female Researchers Grant 2022 is now open to applications to female African researchers who want to gain more visibility and expand their network. Up to €5,000 ($5,300) will be awarded to select participants. Apply here.

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