Saudi Tawakkalna App Resolves Technical Issues

A technical issue prevented access to the Tawakalna application in Saudi Arabia.
A technical issue prevented access to the Tawakalna application in Saudi Arabia.
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Saudi Tawakkalna App Resolves Technical Issues

A technical issue prevented access to the Tawakalna application in Saudi Arabia.
A technical issue prevented access to the Tawakalna application in Saudi Arabia.

Registered users in Saudi Arabia can now access the Tawakkalna application to prove their health status before entering public places.

The Tawakkalna management announced on Friday night that the technical issue that restricted access to the app during the past days was resolved.

“The app is working properly, and users can use it to show their health condition during their visits to government departments, shops, and malls,” it said.

“Work is also in progress to restore all features, such as Covid-19 Test Booking. Digital identities, Dashboard, and others," it added.

Tawakkalna is the official application approved by the Saudi Ministry of Health to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Further, the Tawakkalna management highlighted that under the supervision of a highly qualified Saudi team, the app worked properly and did not encounter any technical issues since its launch on May 11, 2020.

The management said that the app's services were efficiently and effectively provided to over 9.7 million users even in moments of high numbers of registration. It is also noteworthy that the number of registered users jumped to 12.5 million (%22.5 increase) in only three days.

Sign-ins' attempts reached 250 million in the past few days due to the requirement of showing the Health Condition via Tawakkalna to enter worksites, shops, and malls.

This increase caused an overload and instability; however, quick and temporary alternative solutions were provided, as text messages containing information about users' health conditions that were sent to Tawakkalna users.

Tawakkalna management thanked all users for their understanding of this technical problem, and it urged them to update the app.

In support of the Kingdom's efforts to respond to COVID-19, the management also emphasized that it will continue providing high-quality services to all citizens and residents.

The app, launched last year to help track Covid-19 infections, has seen a surge in registrations in recent days as a number of regional governors called for establishments to put stricter entry restrictions in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus.



Apple iPhone 16 Sales Blocked in Indonesia Due to Local Parts Rule

The iPhone 16 Pro is seen at an event at the Steve Jobs Theater on its campus in Cupertino, California, US, September 9, 2024. (Reuters)
The iPhone 16 Pro is seen at an event at the Steve Jobs Theater on its campus in Cupertino, California, US, September 9, 2024. (Reuters)
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Apple iPhone 16 Sales Blocked in Indonesia Due to Local Parts Rule

The iPhone 16 Pro is seen at an event at the Steve Jobs Theater on its campus in Cupertino, California, US, September 9, 2024. (Reuters)
The iPhone 16 Pro is seen at an event at the Steve Jobs Theater on its campus in Cupertino, California, US, September 9, 2024. (Reuters)

Tech giant Apple Inc will not be allowed to sell its iPhone 16 smartphones in Indonesia because they have not met the country's rules on the use of locally made components, the industry ministry said.
Indonesia requires certain smartphones sold domestically to contain at least 40% of parts manufactured locally and the iPhone 16 has not met the requirement, ministry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief said in a statement issued on Friday.
"Imported iPhone 16 hardwares cannot be marketed in the country, because Apple Indonesia has not fulfilled its investment commitment to earn a local content certification," he said, adding that the phones can still be brought from abroad for personal use as long as users pay the necessary taxes.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Reuters said.
The company's iPhone 16 phones were first released in September.
The top two smartphone makers in the first quarter of 2024 in Indonesia were Chinese firm OPPO and South Korean firm Samsung, research firm IDC said in May.
Indonesia has a huge, tech-savvy population, making the Southeast Asian nation a key target market for tech-related investment.
During a visit by Apple's CEO Tim Cook to Indonesia last April, Indonesia's Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said he hoped the tech giant would increase its local content by partnering with domestic firms.
Companies usually increase the domestic requirement through such local partnerships or by sourcing parts domestically.
Apple has no manufacturing facilities in Indonesia, but since 2018 it has been setting up app developer academies, which including the new academy have a total cost of 1.6 trillion rupiah ($101.8 million).