Had 'Forbidden', Apple FaceTime Functions Again in UAE

 


Since Apple launched FaceTime in 2010, this video calling feature has been 'prohibited' and blocked from use in the United Arab Emirates. But now the feature seems to have started working.


According to reports from the AP they were able to use FaceTime calls which suddenly worked in Arabic.


Dubai held Dubai Expo 2020 earlier this month until the end of March 2022, an event that aims to attract millions of visitors from around the world after being delayed by a year due to the pandemic.



In the Expo exhibition area, visitors can make FaceTime calls, not only that, they can also make calls using WhatsApp and Skype which are also blocked in Arabic.


There was no official announcement of this change, the UAE Digital and Telecommunications Government Regulatory Authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment and even Apple did not respond.





The United Arab Emirates, home to the oil-rich capital Abu Dhabi and financial hub Dubai, has long blocked internet calling apps such as WhatsApp and FaceTime.


So far it is not clear why these apps were banned. But many suspect this is an attempt to protect the advantages of state-run telecommunications, especially in the early years when FaceTime would consume a disproportionately large amount of bandwidth.


While others, suspect a security problem. The UAE is believed to have hacked the iPhones of dissidents to spy on their activities, and live video chat might complicate that surveillance.

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