In an effort to show the world just how impressive the camera is on its iPhone 11 Pro, Apple has revealed that the music video for Lady Gaga's latest single, Stupid Love, was shot entirely on the flagship handset.
According to PCMag, Stupid Love was shot using the Filmic Pro app, which is able to provide a more cinematic framerate and overall appearance to smartphone videos, along with "additional hardware", such as professional lighting equipment and stabilizers.
A similar combination of Filmic Pro app, iPhone hardware and supplementary filmmaking equipment was also used to shoot director Steven Soderbergh's feature film Unsane back in 2018.
You can check out a glimpse of the rig used to capture the Stupid Love music video below, courtesy of the Lady Gaga fan community GagaDaily's Instagram account.
Of course, it's not the first major pop video to be shot using the iPhone 11 Pro – the handset was also used to shoot the clip for Selena Gomez's Lose You to Love Me, which was released back in October 2019.
You can check out the complete video for Lady Gaga's Stupid Love below. The track is also available to stream on all major streaming services.
During the month of March, Telstra is offering a AU$120 discount on select BYO phone plans when new customers switch to a month-to-month mobile deal.
If you bring your own smartphone over to the Telstra network and sign up for a SIM-only plan of AU$60 or above before March 30, you’ll get AU$10 off for your first 12 months – saving you AU$120 over the year.
The Medium plan is the cheapest option where this offer is available – it’s usually AU$60 per month, but now for just AU$50 each month you’ll get 60GB of data and unlimited national talk and text.
No need to worry if you happen to use up all your data in a month either, as there’s no excess charges, just a speed cap of 1.5Mbps.
If you go with the Medium plan, you’ll also get free trial access to their 5G network until June 30, 2020, provided you’re bringing a 5G compatible phone over to the telco.
If you decide to stick with it after the trial period ends, it’s AU$15 per month to opt-in to the 5G network, but if you’ve gone with a Large or Extra Large data plan, access is included for as long as you stay on the plan.
The Telstra SIM-only plans also include data-free sports streaming of AFL, NRL, the Hyundai A-League and more.
These BYO phone deals are only available to new customers, or existing Telstra customers who are looking to add a second device. They have no lock-in contract, so you’re free to cancel any time.
If you don’t have a handset to bring over to Telstra, you do have the option of signing up for a handset payment plan, which you can opt to pay for over 24 or 36 months.
EA Sports has announced that it is planning to introduce an in-game button overlay for some FIFA 20 players as part of its efforts to improve the game’s responsiveness.
FIFA 20 has received criticism from its community for its unresponsiveness during online matches, with players feeling that there’s a noticeable delay between when they press the button and when their desired action happens on screen.
In a recent Pitch Notes article published to the EA site, the developer has described its “live study methodology” whereby, following internal testing, it tests potential changes with a small number of real players in order to garner feedback and real-world data.
Live studies
The upcoming in-game button overlay is part of this and is intended to measure the real-world impact of a “small backend change related to button responsiveness”.
According to EA, in the coming weeks a select number of players will see the overlay (pictured below) added to the top right-hand corner of their game, though it notes that the image depicts an in-progress view which is subject to change.
EA explains that this button will allow players to see their inputs in real-time as well as “the impact the connection with the data center has on those inputs.” The hope is that this will help EA analyze matches more efficiently as, it says, it “can get clips of players sharing their experience and raw input.”
EA plans to share its findings from the study at some point in the future, though it points out that “like any real-world study”, it can take time to get “actionable results”. That means we don’t know exactly when we’ll find out what the developer’s next steps are but given the short lifecycle of FIFA titles and the fact that, based on previous release patterns, late 2020 is highly likely to herald the release of FIFA 21 we imagine players are hoping to see improvements sooner rather than later.
EA stresses in the article that this is just one part of its efforts to tackle connectivity and responsiveness issues in the game and that as progress is made it may roll out more changes using these live studies.
Looking for the best new games of 2020? Then you've come to the right place. This year is well underway and, while it's pretty quiet right now, there's a heap of fantastic new games on the way.
2020 is a biggie in gaming and will see us making the transition to next-generation consoles and new streaming services. That means that most games that are due to release this year are fair game to be cross-generation titles - even if we don't know it yet.
Xbox Series X and the PS5 may not be releasing until the end of 2020, but there are plenty of fantastic games releasing in the run-up. But it can be hard to keep track of which games are releasing when, and for what platform, so we've put together this handy guide to all the games releasing in 2020 - and when we can expect them.
MWC 2020 would have been the stage that plenty of companies were planning to use to debut their new smartphones, but alas, the conference was canceled due to concerns over the coronavirus. While some countries delayed their launches, others revealed their new handsets anyway online. The show must go on.
So what were the best handsets shown off at this week’s shadow-MWC?
Even if the show had proceedeted as planned, it would have stood in the shadow of the Samsung Galaxy S20 line; as happens every year, the tech giant debuted its flagship lineup before MWC was scheduled to occur. At Unpacked 2020, the world got its first look at top-tier handsets that will likely have a strong presence throughout the year.
But some of the year’s eagerly-anticipated phones were set to be revealed at the show in Barcelona, like the dual display LG V60 ThinQ 5G and the Vivo Apex 2020 concept. Others, like the refined Huawei Mate Xs foldable, were going to make their first appearance outside China.
That’s what the first section will cover: the phones we wish we’d seen in person as the most exciting handsets that launched during MWC 2020’s planned run. The second section, on the other hand, are all the phones we didn’t see – and which were delayed for reasons we can only speculate to.
LG V60 ThinQ 5G
The LG V60 ThinQ 5G is the next generation of LG flagships: a big, powerful, modern-looking phone that retains the Dual Screen extra display with connectivity to next-gen networks.
Not just mmWave, either. Like other handsets debuting in 2020, the LG V60 can connect to sub-6 frequency networks too, though only in one version of the phone. Hearkening back to the days when each carrier had a different version, in the US, Verizon will get this model while AT&T and others will get a model that won’t be able to link up to mmWave.
Otherwise, the V60 is a big phone, with a 6.8-inch OLED 20.5:9 display. The Dual Screen add-on, which is packaged with the phone free of charge (at least for now), adds another identical display, letting you open two apps simultaneously for serious multitasking - or at least just watching your favorite show while you game.
The V60 is the culmination of LG’s phone philosophy, and while it’s not quite as cutting edge as other flagships, it’s great for anyone who wants more screen at a lower price than a foldable.
Huawei Mate Xs
The Huawei Mate Xs is nearly identical to the Huawei Mate X released last year, a foldable phone that wasn’t widely released beyond China. That’s partially due to a skeptical US that’s kept Huawei devices away from American carriers, though Google has recently appealed the part of the ban that’s kept Google Services off Huawei devices.
The biggest change with the Mate Xs is an upgrade to the latest Kirin 990 chipset (the original ran the Kirin 980). Huawei claims they’ve made other quality-of-life refinements, too, like a refined hinge, which has been a worry for foldable phones.
The other new addition is 5G connectivity. Given how nascent those next-gen networks are, we’re not sure which of them the Mate Xs would be able to connect to outside China. But we’re still excited - once it hits the market, it’ll be the most powerful foldable in the world.
Vivo Apex 2020
Unlike the other phones, the Vivo Apex 2020 is a concept device, showing impressive new technology in a device that won’t be sold to the public at scale. Still, its neat innovations should trickle out to mainstream devices in the coming years.
Chief of these new tricks is a zero-port body, which even extends to the buttons - which aren’t physical, but pressure-sensitive parts of the display, which extends over the sides. That also makes it reliant on wireless charging - but Vivo claims its new phone manages 60W, which is big if true.
There are other advancements, like an in-display selfie camera, 5x-7.5x optical telephoto lens, and gimbal-like stabilization of the main camera. Given it’s a concept, we weren’t looking to see this as a preview for 2020 handset tech, but witnessing these feats in person would have made us excited for the years of phones to come.
Sony Xperia 1 II
Sony might have pulled out of MWC 2020, but the company ended up revealing the Sony Xperia 1 II (pronounced Xperia One Mark Two) as the tech giant’s next flagship phone. As expected, it’s an iteration on the Xperia 1, with the same long, narrow frame and 4K 6.5-inch display - but this time, it’ll allow 90Hz refresh rate.
Other improvements are similarly de rigueur for a 2020 Android flagship, like a Snapdragon 865 chipset and 5G connectivity. It also has a bigger 4,000mAh battery and faster charging.
Sadly, Sony didn’t show us the phone in person - we read all these alleged updates on paper, so we can’t say quite how the Xperia 1 II will differ from its predecessor. Neither do we have a price - and for a release date, only a vague ‘Spring 2020’ (Q2 2020) window.
Honor 9X Pro
We were expecting the Honor View 30 phone to get a global debut at MWC 2020, but in lieu of the cancelled conference, the Honor 9X Pro got a surprise global launch instead. It hasn’t been long at all since the Honor 9X came out at the end of 2019, so what’s changed? Some improvement in specs, of course - and the first Honor phone to launch without Google apps.
Instead, the Honor 9X Pro will use the alternative app suite and app store that Huawei has cooked up for its phones, the Huawei Mobile Services. Obviously, this is the long-delayed consequence for the US Huawei ban, and we’re looking forward to seeing how it works.
The Honor 9X Pro will arrive in several non-UK European countries as well as Egypt, Malaysia, and Saudia Arabia in March 2020 and will retail for €249 (roughly £210, $270, AU$410).
Phones that didn’t debut during shadow-MWC 2020
Moto Z5
Around MWC, we typically get our first look at a new Motorola flagship. This year, we were expecting a new Z-series phone - perhaps the Moto Z5 - which would have given us a window into Motorola’s phone strategy for 2020. Given the refined G-series budget phones have already been announced
For instance, a Z5 would likely be compatible with Moto Mods, but it might also include advancements made in the last year’s Motorola One phones, which were introduced as devices that would debut new features outside of the company’s typical Z-series and G-series launch cycles.
The bigger question might be: will the Z5 come with 5G, thus obviating the need for a 5G Moto Mod introduced alongside its predecessor, the Moto Z4? Without a flagship introduced early in the year at MWC, it’s unclear what 5G plans Motorola has for 2020.
Nokia 10
We were anticipating that a follow-up to the Nokia 9 Pureview would debut at MWC, but haven’t heard anything since Nokia pulled out of the show. Given how little we knew about the phone beforehand, we can only guess at what the Nokia 10 will bring.
...or the Nokia 9.1, or whichever numerically-loose name Nokia opts for. When the company releases annual iterations on its lineup, it tends to count up by decimal places - just check our best Nokia phones page for evidence. That’s somewhat helpful, as features and price generally escalate with the number.
But the Nokia 9 Pureview is such a radical outlier to the other phones with its spider-eye 7-hole/5-lens rear camera suite that we’re eager to see how the phonemaker refines some of the rougher UX edges on its 2019 flagship. Or if it abandons the concept entirely - something we’ll only know when the Nokia 10 resurfaces.
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Microsoft initially promised that the dual-screen Surface Duo mobile device would be launching at the end of 2020, just in time for the holiday season, but there are rumblings that it could now go on sale as early as April or May.
Inside sources speaking to Windows Central report that Microsoft wants to bring the launch window forward in order to make the most of the buzz around the device – and to avoid releasing a 4G gadget in a market where 5G has become the norm.
Much of the work on the Surface Duo is done, apparently. It runs Android 10, with a few extra customizations, and that software has been in the wild since last August. A few finishing touches are all that's required.
The hardware is pretty much set as well, according to the insiders. Different configurations of the Surface Duo are going to be available, but they'll all be based around the Snapdragon 855 processor, which means no support for 5G connectivity.
Four or five Gs
While you'll struggle to get a strong 5G signal in all but a few limited spots around the world at the moment, Microsoft knows that it doesn't look good in terms of futureproofing if its folding Surface Duo device launches without it.
Getting the gadget out earlier than planned would mitigate that problem to some extent – by the time that 5G does become widespread, a Surface Duo 2 might be just around the corner, though that probably depends on how the first one does.
It's going to be interesting to see how the split-screen interface works on the phone (though Microsoft is definitely not calling it a phone): we've already seen leaks that show how a quick 'peek' at the displays will reveal your notifications.
The much bigger Microsoft Surface Neo – running Windows rather than Android – is also due out before the end of the year, but as yet there's no indication that Microsoft is thinking about bringing forward that particular launch.
When it comes to Doom Eternal id Software is going big, with glorious 4K visuals and, apparently, a frame rate that maxes out at 1000 frames-per-second. If you have the right hardware, of course.
In a recent video with IGN, id Software’s lead engine programmer, Billy Kahn, explained that big improvements with the id Tech 7 engine have made Doom Eternal’s “bigger explosions” and “vibrant looking particle effects”, as well as this high frame rate, possible.
According to Kahn, with Doom Eternal “if you have the hardware right, it could hit 1000 frames per second”.
Smooth visuals
He goes on to say that there’s “really no upper limit”, adding “I’ve had some hardware here locally that we built just for testing, where we had scenes running in the 400 frames per second."
That’s a big improvement on the 250 frames-per-second Kahn says was reached by the developer's id Tech 6 engine used in the development of Doom 2016.
The benefit of this maximisation is that not only does it make Doom Eternal look good now, it means that it’s future-proofed for years to come, allowing players to take the game along with them as they upgrade their hardware.
“It will scale with the hardware that you have,” Kahn says, “all the way from very old hardware all the way to the newest that may not even be on the market”.
This kind of scalability is great for those playing on PC as it means they should see a performance boost with each upgrade they make. But it bodes well for console users too. id Software has previously said in an interview with Metro that it’d be “logical” for it to look to push into the next generation of consoles, Xbox Series X and PS5.
Kahn initially addresses the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro enhancements that have been made possible with id Tech 7 in the video but he also adds that "id Tech 7 will run really nicely on the next-gen platforms", hinting at some “really cool plans” for the future, without wishing to say anything too concrete.
Doom Eternal will be released on consoles and PC on March 20, so there’s really not long to wait. In our hands on time with the game we were left thrilled by its “pure energy” and “frenetic action”, marking it as one of our most highly-anticipated games of 2020.
The Fujifilm X-T4 is one of the most feature-packed APS-C mirrorless cameras we've seen so far. Like its predecessors, it doesn’t have the rangefinder style of the X-Pro series or the smaller stature of the X-T30 family, but is the sweet spot for many.
What's interesting about this new X-T model, though, is that it won't be replacing its predecessor, the Fujifilm X-T3. The latter arrived in September 2018, so is still very much a current camera and comes with a more affordable price tag.
So which one should you buy? The X-T4 certainly brings some significant new features. In-body image stabilization (IBIS) is the big change. This means you’ll be able to use slower handheld shutter speeds than the Fujifilm X-T3, and it's a boon for non-stabilized lenses like the celebrated XF 35mm f/1.4 and XF 56mm f/1.2 too.
The Fujifilm X-T4 is a little larger and heavier than its sibling, but one of the trade-offs is a superior battery life. This may be the most important upgrade for street and travel photography the series has seen yet. But does it make the upgrade worth it overall? Let's find out.
Price and availability
The Fujifilm X-T4 will be shipping sometime in April 2020 – although there isn't a precise date for availability, you can pre-order the camera now either body-only or in various lens bundles (see table below).
Its predecessor, the Fujifilm X-T3, will remain on sale indefinitely and has had a small price reduction since late January 2020. While prices vary between regions, you can effectively buy a new Fujifilm X-T3 with an XF18-55mm kit lens for the same price as a body-only X-T4.
This could make deciding between the two a tricky decision, so read on for our in-depth comparison of their relative strengths.
Which camera / bundle?
US price
UK price
Australia price
Fujifilm X-T4 (body only)
$1,699
£1,549
AU$2,999
Fujifilm X-T3 (body only)
$1,299
£1,199
AU$2,049
Fujifilm X-T4 with XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS lens
$2,099
£1,899
AU$3,299
Fujifilm X-T3 with XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS lens
$1,699
£1,549
AU$2,549
Fujifilm X-T4 with XF16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR lens
$2,199
£1,949
AU$4,099
The Fujifilm X-T4 (top) is 5mm thicker than the X-T3 (bottom).
Fujifilm X-T4 vs X-T3: design
The Fujifilm X-T4 looks very similar to the X-T3. And that's a good thing – the retro two-tone look has made Fujifilm cameras the best-looking mirrorless model around.
The X-T4's body is slightly larger this time, but you need to be well acquainted with the X-T3 to notice the difference. It's 2mm wider, 5mm thicker, and the same height. The X-T4 is still far smaller than the now defunct Fujifilm X-H1, which is almost an inch thicker.
One significant difference between the two is the rear screen. The X-T3 has a 3-inch 1.04-million-dot display, now upgraded to 1.62 million-dots. This is a shift from 720 x 480 pixels to 900 x 600 pixels, making it a match for the Fujifilm X-Pro3.
Crucially, the hinge style has changed too. Where the X-T3 has a flip-up screen that can also flip to the side for awkward-angled shooting, the X-T4 has gone fully articulated. The difference? Its screen can now be oriented to face out front, handy if you want to shoot selfies or vlog-style videos.
However, it won’t please everyone. A fully articulated screen uses a side hinge, so you need to flip it out and tilt just to shoot comfortably above or below head height. Flip-out screens may be less versatile, but they are often quicker to use.
Fujifilm has not changed the EVF substantially. Both cameras have a 0.5-inch 3.69-million-dot viewfinder with 0.75x magnification, when used with a 50mm lens. So the main physical differences are the X-T4's slightly increased heft and its articulating screen.
The Fujifilm X-T3 (left) and X-T4 (right) share the same autofocus system, but the X-T4 has improved AF algorithms.
Fujifilm X-T4 vs X-T3: autofocus
The X-T3 and X-T4 share the same sensor, a 26.1MP APS-C size X Trans 4 chip. This also determines the autofocus system used, as it lives on the sensor.
There are up to 425 selectable focus points, depending on the grid selected, but the sensor itself has 2.16 million phase detection pixels spread across the entire area of the sensor. Fujifilm’s latest X-T3 firmware update, version 3.2, significantly improved autofocus performance, making it more intelligent.
The timing of this suggests these changes were actually developed for the X-T4. They include much improved eye tracking and better face detection when more than one person is in the frame. It is a reminder modern focusing systems rely a lot on well-optimised implementation, not just the underlying hardware.
Fujifilm’s own claim is focus on the X-T4 is now “as fast as 0.02 seconds”, owing to a new algorithm. However, given the recent X-T3 update, the two cameras’ performance may be closer than you might think. We'll be able to say for sure in our full review soon.
One of the main differences between the X-T4 and X-T4 (pictured) is the latter's fully articulating screen, which is particularly useful for video.
Video
Pre-announcement rumors suggested the Fujifilm X-T4 might get 6K video recording, like the amazing Panasonic S1H. While that feature has not emerged, the X-T4 is a significantly improved video camera, and not just thanks to IBIS and that articulating screen.
We get the same max 4K resolution capture, at up to 60 frames per second. However, 1080p capture can now go up to 240fps, for pronounced 10x slo-mo. As before, you can also record 4K video at up to 60 fps in 10-bit 4:2:0 color to the SD card, or 10-bit 4:2:2 to an external recorder via the micro HDMI port.
The camera can use both the optical stabilization and electronic/software stabilization when shooting video, which should improve on the already-strong video versatility of the X-T3.
Fujifilm has also altered the interface, to make the X-T4 cater more directly to video shooters. There’s a specific quick menu and sub-dial for video. Strangely, Fujifilm has removed the 3.5mm jack from the X-T4, although it does include a USB-C-to-3.5mm adaptor in the box. Like the X-T3, though, it has dual SD card slots that allow the same video footage to be recorded twice as a backup.
The X-T3 (left) can shoot at a pretty speedy 11fps with its mechanical shutter, but the X-T4 (right) has pushed that to 15fps.
Performance
The Fujifilm X-T4 offers serious performance upgrades over its predecessor, although it's fair to say the X-T3 remains an excellent performer for most people.
Your maximum burst shooting speed is 11fps on the X-T3, but on the X-T4 that's now up to 15fps using the physical shutter. Mainstream cameras have now reached the speed of the Canon EOS 1D X, 2012’s full-frame choice for professional sports and actions shooters.
At this speed, the Fujifilm X-T4 can shoot 110 JPEGs before filling its buffer.
Both cameras can go much faster if the physical shutter is abandoned for the electronic one, with burst speeds of up to 30fps. This involves a 1.25x crop, though.
So we get a little extra flexibility for fast shooting, and a lot more of it when you want to slow things down. The Fujifilm X-T4 is only the second APS-C Fuji camera to have IBIS, in-body image stabilisation. Its first was the X-H1.
IBIS counteracts hand movements as you shoot, letting you use slower shutter speeds when shooting handheld without the penalty of blur. Fujifilm says this is effective to the tune of 5 stops, more than the 4-4.5 on offer from the stabilized lenses you can attach to an X-T3.
Add one of these stabilized lenses to the X-T4 and the two systems work in concert to nudge the stabilization factor up to a maximum of 6.5 stops. That you can now use some of the best non-stabilized lenses more confidently is the real benefit here, though.
The breezy 27mm pancake, the beautiful 35mm f/1.4 and highly regarded 16-55mm f/2.8 all lack stabilization, making you increase ISO sensitivity fairly quickly when shooting out and about handheld.
IBIS is likely one of the main reasons the X-T4 is a little thicker than the X-T3, and also the best reason to upgrade.
Battery life
A new battery is another excuse for that thicker body on the X-T4. The X-T3 uses the 1260mAh Fujifilm NP-W126S battery, the X-T4 a far larger 2350mAh NP-W325.
This increases the stills-per-charge figure from 390 to 500, based on use with the 35mm f/1.4 lens. There’s an Economy mode that increases this to 600 frames.
The effect on video longevity is similarly huge. You can shoot 85 minutes of continuous 4K video (30fps) with the X-T4 from a charge, or 55 minutes with the X-T3. Much like IBIS, a longer-lasting battery makes the X-T4 a significantly more versatile travel camera.
You can also buy a VG-XT4 battery grip, which increases shots per charge to a massive 1700, similar to a Nikon D850 DSLR. That grip holds two additional batteries and automatically switches to a fresh one when the other one runs out of charge, which is particularly handy for video shooters.
Early verdict
The Fujifilm X-T4 might not sound like a huge upgrade, particularly for stills shooters. It won’t take significantly better pictures than the X-T3 in a studio or stabilized setting, its EVF is the same and so, roughly, is the autofocus system.
But versatility across a range of shooting styles has been much improved. IBIS opens up handheld photography dramatically for stacks of our favorite XF lenses. And a bigger battery means you can go through a photo-heavy day without needing to carry a spare.
The larger battery also narrows the gap between the X-T series and the Sony A6600, which is rated for a mammoth 830 shots. We'll bring you our final verdict on whether or not it's the best APS-C camera so far in our full review very soon.
Dubai-based ports operator DP World is harnessing disruptive technologies in a bid to strengthen its logistics infrastructure and diversifying its portfolio to better serve the dynamic trade needs of its customers and partners.
Technological innovations have been taking place at the company for more than a decade but Mike Bhaskaran, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer at DP World, who took charge in less than two years, is revving up the digital transformation to deliver safer, faster, efficient and more sustainable solutions.
“When I started in the middle of last year, we saw an opportunity for back-office automation. We chose Oracle Fusion ERP as a platform to build consistency across our multiple geographies. We are slowly deploying it across our global operations,” he said.
It is extremely important to bring balance between finance and procurement systems across its infrastructure in more than 40 countries, he said, so, they can talk the same language and that was the beginning of the journey.
Primarily, he said the company’s customers are liners and freight forwarders and if “we can make their jobs easier in exchanging data, ease of access to data and providing a seamless integration as things move, physical goods as well as data goods, will help the financial flow as well.”
Technology, in many senses, he said has reduced the number of moves in the yard and on-time delivery to the customers to make it easier for them through a wide array of applications.
“Our goal is to make it easy to move goods in multiple countries with a click of a button,” he said.
Subsequently, Bhaskaran’s focus shifted to the office products, office automation and moving to the cloud, providing solutions to accelerate the flow of goods through its ports and services.
“For us, being a global trade enabler, we focused on terminal operating systems for ease of access (how quickly people can come to our ports), movement of containers, billing, collaborate with our customers and provide customer-centric solutions.
“The centre of the digital transformation is the customer. How we can provide ease of access and do our work better to service them and provide solutions for them,” he said.
DP World has been a pioneer in working with the US-based Navis for terminal operating systems and is at the forefront of technological innovation such as Hyperloop and Box-Bay Storage.
DP World had signed a partnership with Virgin Hyperloop One in 2018 to revolutionise transportation of people and goods.
Bhaskaran said that Box-Bay Storage, which can stack 11 containers vertically, can shuffle containers whenever needed and reduce space and will go live by the end of this year.
“Now, we cannot put a full-loaded container on top of an empty container but with Box-Bay storage, it can. An automated system can then retrieve each without moving any others. The main objective of this initiative is to reduce traffic congestion within terminals for container movement,” he said.
Even though DP World does not currently use physical robots, he said that they use robotic process automation (chatbots) for tasks.
“We don’t infuse technology for the sake of technology and it all depends on where the applications are required and then buy the best technology. We use Oracle CRM for a specific purpose and SAP Hana for report riding and in some cases; we have built it in-house and have our terminal operating system, known as Zodiac,” he said.
Moreover, he said that the cloud is a journey and they have moved most of the division’s emails to the cloud – Microsoft Office 365 – and some SaaS [software as a service] platforms are already in the cloud.
However, Bhaskaran is not off the view that everything should be up in the cloud and it all depends on applications by applications where they want to use it.
“In some cases, we want the apps to be on-prem and it is important when it comes to safety and customer importance. We have just started to use blockchain and will start some pilot projects very soon, primarily in using documentation exchange and supply chain, and we are building new use cases,” he said.
Bhaskaran said that the digital journey has begun globally and everyone is excited.
Leveraging blockchain technologies
“In the next two to three years, a lot of the new tools and new processes we are developing right now will be on our entire network. The document exchange, by leveraging blockchain, and creating smart contracts will be a huge opportunity for the logistics sector,” Bhaskaran said.
For a digital transformation to succeed, he said the culture is an essential factor in attracting, developing and retaining digital talent inside the organisation and talent is the number one challenge in digital transformations, globally and locally.
But Bhaskaran said that DP World has a very “innovative culture”.
“Staff is always looking for new ways to improve our customer experience and it was very positive. Out of all the technological opportunities and business processes, what we use has to be the best fit for our customers. As we have a lot of automation and documentation, we figured out that blockchain solutions will help us solve the problem. So, the culture was innovative and receptive.
“The change management aspect of the culture was very warm and receiving. It was a very collegial culture as a company and then the question was when we have a good business case, everyone was receptive and doing the right thing for the customer,” he said.
Moreover, he said that there is a culture of learning inside the company and latent capacity inside the organisation itself was high.
“Most of the staff is using new tools such as mapping and visualisation, and there is a tremendous appetite to learn and it is inherent in the culture. I didn’t have to do anything as that was the best part of my job,” he said.
Furthermore, he said that the primary focus this year will be on back-office automation, blockchain-backed technologies and advancing terminal operating systems.
“It is a journey and a tremendous amount of work needs to be done in the next three years,” he said.
Despite being at the forefront of innovation, DP World does not want to rest on its laurels and are always looking at innovative companies worldwide that can spark innovation for them, either in IoT devices, blockchain, AI and other advanced technologies.
The company is working with an Indian technology accelerator platform for logistics - Log-X - both in Kerala and different parts of India looking for new technologies and startups coming in to help the ecosystem they have.
“We have met several companies and they are doing good work in fleet automation, trucks automation and which are good for us in our digital journey. Innovation will play a strong role in building an integrated logistics platform which offers end-to-end solutions for cargo owners,” he said.
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