Unified Geospatial Platform: Boosting Service Management Efficiency for Makkah City, Holy Sites

The Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites is making significant advancements in building an advanced technical platform with the launch of the Unified Geospatial Platform project for Makkah. (SPA)
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites is making significant advancements in building an advanced technical platform with the launch of the Unified Geospatial Platform project for Makkah. (SPA)
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Unified Geospatial Platform: Boosting Service Management Efficiency for Makkah City, Holy Sites

The Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites is making significant advancements in building an advanced technical platform with the launch of the Unified Geospatial Platform project for Makkah. (SPA)
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites is making significant advancements in building an advanced technical platform with the launch of the Unified Geospatial Platform project for Makkah. (SPA)

Geospatial information systems have become vital for driving economic growth, maintaining security, accelerating development, and facilitating decision-making.

They are pivotal in fostering creativity and innovation by enabling the smart use of geospatial information to achieve sustainable development goals and ensure long-term economic growth.

Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites is making significant advancements in building an advanced technical platform with the launch of the Unified Geospatial Platform project for Makkah.

This initiative aims to create a unified framework for the governance and utilization of geospatial data for the city, making it accessible through a single platform, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

This project is the cornerstone of the Royal Commission's ambitious plan to integrate modern technologies with geospatial information systems.

This integration supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the Royal Commission's strategic objectives to boost service delivery in Makkah, improve city management efficiency, and provide an exceptional experience for citizens and visitors through high productivity and a diversified economy.

In recognition of its achievements, the Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites received the Exceptional Performance Award in Geospatial Information Systems at the 2024 Esri World Conference.

The award highlights the entities and users worldwide that demonstrate vision, innovation, leadership, and dedication in their use of geospatial information systems (GIS) technology. It reflects the Royal Commission’s commitment to developing Makkah according to the highest international standards.



Sony Posts 10% Profit Rise on Image Sensor Boost

(FILES) In this picture taken on May 9, 2022, the Sony logo is displayed at an entrance of the company's headquarters in Tokyo. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)
(FILES) In this picture taken on May 9, 2022, the Sony logo is displayed at an entrance of the company's headquarters in Tokyo. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)
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Sony Posts 10% Profit Rise on Image Sensor Boost

(FILES) In this picture taken on May 9, 2022, the Sony logo is displayed at an entrance of the company's headquarters in Tokyo. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)
(FILES) In this picture taken on May 9, 2022, the Sony logo is displayed at an entrance of the company's headquarters in Tokyo. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)

Sony on Wednesday reported a 10% rise in operating profit in the April-June quarter, beating analyst estimates, boosted by its industry-leading image sensor business.
Profit at the Japanese tech and entertainment conglomerate was 279 billion yen ($1.90 billion), compared with an average estimate of 275 billion yen from seven analysts polled by LSEG.
The impact from foreign exchange and higher sales helped profit at the image sensor business, a major supplier for smartphone makers, roughly triple to 36.6 billion yen.
A sprawling group encompassing music, movies, games and chips, Sony hiked its full-year profit forecast by 3% aided by foreign exchange rates.
Financial markets have been whipsawed in recent days following an interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan and weak labor data from the US that stoked recession fears.
"We are extremely concerned about the sudden fluctuations in exchange rates and possibility of economic downturn, particularly in the United States," Sony President Hiroki Totoki told an earnings briefing, according to Reuters.
The rise in the yen has left investors reassessing the outlook for Japanese multinationals, as the weak currency had provided a cushion for many heavyweight exporters.
Sony's assumed exchange rate for the year is approximately 145 yen to the dollar. On Wednesday, it was trading around 147, but it had been at 38-year lows near 162 at the start of July.
In the first quarter Sony sold 2.4 million PlayStation 5 (PS5) units, fewer than a year earlier, but booked a larger profit from its games business.
The group said in May it expects to sell 18 million PS5 units this fiscal year, compared to 20.8 million a year earlier.
The games industry is grappling with rising costs and weak pricing power. Sony-owned developer Bungie announced last week it is cutting almost a fifth of its workforce.
Sony's shares closed flat ahead of earnings and are down 8% year-to-date, giving the company a market capitalization of just over $100 billion.