Lemonade into lemons

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

Automaker GAC planning a USD 300 mn manufacturing plant in Egypt

Good afternoon, wonderful people. A lull in weather brings with it a slow news cycle, but we don’t expect either one to last too long. Our focus today is on how Apple turned lemonade into lemons… And how a pivot may be able to squeeze some juice back out.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

GAC Motor could be the latest Chinese automaker to set up production facilities here: GAC Motor plans to invest USD 300 mn to establish a car manufacturing plant in the country to serve both local and export markets, according to a cabinet statement. The plan was announced by General Manager Feng Xingya in a meeting between the General Authority for Freezones and Investment head Hossam Heiba and a number of Chinese players focused on expanding Chinese investments in Egypt.

ICYMI- We heard back in September that Auto Jameel — GAC Motor’s local agent — would produce the first locally manufactured GAC models on the market, with plans to assemble 2-3 models and manufacture 10-15k vehicles per year. The news came on the heels of Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly’s offer to give GAC Motor special incentives and a golden license to expand production to Egypt.

Oppo also has big plans for Egypt: Smartphone manufacturer Oppo said it plans to make Egypt its second largest global production hub after China. The company in October said it aims to increase local production from 70k phones per month to 500k.

And ZTE reiterated its commitment to expanding here to capitalize on growing demand for telecom infrastructure. The telecommunications equipment manufacturer inked an MoU in September to locally manufacture a number of products, including fixed network terminals and optical network distribution products.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

EU and UK reach “tentative” post-Brexit agreement ahead of summit: The European Union and Britain have agreed to reset post-Brexit relations ahead of today’s EU-UK summit according to EU officials who spoke to Reuters. The agreement focuses on eliminating trade barriers between the two sides and strengthening defense collaboration to bolster the UK’s economy and enhance its security across the continent.

The new accord is “paving the way for British firms to participate in large EU defence contracts,” Reuters reported. The negotiations also addressed fishing and agricultural trade, with the UK agreeing to “keep its fishing grounds open to the EU boats” for an additional 12 years, according to the Financial Times. (Reuters | Financial Times | CNBC | BBC)

What’s next: A written procedure is currently underway and in the process of being approved by all 27 EU member states to formalize the agreement. An EU diplomat told Reuters that this “shouldn’t cause a problem” as “all member states seem happy with what’s put on the table as the summit is about to start.” Additional details of the agreement will be revealed during the summit.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- The capital will be seeing the mildest weather of the week tomorrow, with the mercury peaking at a breezy 31°C throughout the day with a low of 18°C at night, according to our favorite weather app.

Apple Intelligence was bitten by ambition

Apple Intelligence failed to launch because the tech giant put too much money where their mouth was. Long before its official launch, Apple Intelligence was touted as the next big thing — Apple’s game-changing foray into a new era. For a while, it did indeed seem that way — until it didn’t, or at least, not in the way many users and tech-junkies had hoped for.

Perfect is the enemy of good, but so is imperfect. Four years ahead of the AI curve, Apple successfully snatched Google’s John Giannandrea to lead its AI department, positioned to become an AI Powerhouse. But when OpenAI’s ChatGPT took off in 2022, triggering an avalanche of tech companies racing to catch up and overcrowding the AI industry, Apple had only begun formulating an actionable AI plan. Despite the headstart and a staggering USD 22.6 bn investment in AI R&D, Apple was conspicuously absent on the scene until the 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) — arriving two years late to a party they threw, with little to show for it.

At WWDC, CEO Tim Cook announced that Apple Intelligence would “transform what users can do with our products — and what our products can do for our users,” promising revolutionary features — an AI-enhanced Siri, notification summaries, native writing tools, image creation tools, and much more.

…and then they launched without it. Just days before release, Apple announced that the iPhone 16 would ship without its promised AI technology, and that buyers would have to wait at least a month until those features become available. Unsurprisingly, first-weekend pre-sales of the iPhone 16 tanked y-o-y, with an estimated 37 mn units sold, 12% lower than 2023’s iPhone 15. The first batch of AI features arrived a month and a half after the lineup’s release. Genmojis followed in December, priority notifications in March 2025, and the “new and improved Siri” is still nowhere to be found.

Hell hath no fury like an Apple user scorned. Disappointment in the new iPhone lineup was palpable. Droves of Apple loyalists felt deceived, with many going as far as filing a class-action lawsuit on the basis of false advertising, according to Axios. “Contrary to Defendant's claims of advanced AI capabilities, the products offered a significantly limited or entirely absent version of Apple Intelligence, misleading consumers about its actual utility and performance,” the lawsuit reads.

Last month, Apple unveiled a new approach that could potentially turn their late arrival to the AI race into a strategic advantage: They plan to use their USD 500 bn R&D budget to establish a new benchmark for privacy to the notoriously invasive process of AI development… If they can successfully implement it at scale before consumer patience runs out. The company’s “ differential privacy ” system will mimic user communications based on samples gathered in-device without being shared with Apple. This allows the tech titan to give some much-needed training to its AI without sacrificing user privacy — a huge selling point for many users consistently growing more and more wary of data theft by other AI leaders.

Multidimensional conversations

? Everything you’d want to hear in a podcast. Egyptian-Jordanian-Palestinian actor and presenter Bassel Alzaro teams up with entrepreneur Karim Rihan to host El-Podcasters, a captivating round-table conversation that tackles the most profound questions… alongside the least serious and most entertaining topics.

There is no ceiling to the subjects explored: The duo podcasters welcome guests from incredibly diverse backgrounds on every episode, having unexpected conversations that are likely to appeal to the average listener. They move from film productions to arts to business, from cosmetic surgery to fringe theories about ancient Egypt, and potential extraterrestrial contact.

Genuine conversation, not performance. The episodes unfold with the natural rhythm of friends talking without watching the clock. Alzaro and Rihan’s pre-existing friendship gives the show an unforced quality that regularly extends conversations beyond an hour. Alzaro’s media background combined with Rihan’s business acumen results in questions that anticipate what listeners want answered but wouldn’t have thought to ask.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Anghami.

Quiet pitches as Brighton takes on Liverpool

⚽ We’re seeing unusually quiet pitches today, with all eyes turned towards the Amex Stadium for Brighton’s run at Liverpool tonight at 10pm as part of Matchday 37 of the English Premier League.

The Reds were officially crowned champions four weeks ahead of the competition’s end… which may have slowed their momentum. Arne Slot’s men are desperate to rediscover their winning rhythm after drawing with Arsenal and suffering a shock defeat to Chelsea in their last two outings. Meanwhile, the Seagulls find themselves currently perched in ninth place, but still have a chance to climb a few positions in the table — though their hopes of securing a qualifying spot in next season’s European leagues has all but vanished.

Get a headstart on summer this Eid at Somabay

MARK YOUR CALENDAR-

?️ It’s almost beats by the beach season, and we’d suggest getting a headstart this Eid in Somabay. Debuting in Egypt, German electronic dance music trio Klangphonics will be joining Belgian synth-pop band Oscar and the Wolf for CJC’s Lumen party experience at Somabay’s Mesca Beach on Saturday, 7 June. Joining them with rhythms of their own are Cairo-based DJs Wolf Fang Midi, Dirty Backseat, and Zeft Funk. You can grab your tickets through Ticketsmarché. P.S. Don’t forget your favorite swimwear.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

Get your rock rhythm on this Wednesday 21, May at CJC 610. Cairo-based Jordanian alt pop artist Zaid Khaled and Egyptian rock band Massar Egbari join forces to fill CJC with Arabic beats that will have your hips swinging — whether you like it or not. You can grab your tickets through CJC 610’s official website.

TV soundtrack nostalgia: Join iconic singer Ali El Haggar on a night of Tetrat w Zekrayat on Thursday 22 May, reviving timeless memories and singing unforgettable TV series theme songs at Theatro Arkan. You can grab tickets on Ticketsmarché.

Customize your concert how you like: Pop-star icon Tamer Hosny will be the face of the Red Bull Jukebox on Friday 23 May in Taj City, where audiences will be able to choose the songs that the artist will sing, the performance style, and the stage ambience through a pre-concert vote and smart wristband during the show. Rising music producer El Waili and DJ Nedz will also be taking the stage. You can grab tickets on Ticketsmarché.

Are you a professional shower singer? Room Art Space Garden City wants to hear what you’ve got. On Saturday, 24 May, the Garden City hotspot will be hosting its signature open mic night. Got some hahas on Slack lately? Try your luck out with a stand-up set. Feeling your inner Maya Angelou? Uncage that bird on stage. If you’re planning on performing, be there at 7:30 PM — otherwise, just grab your ticket from Room Art Space’s official Instagram.

HAPPENING LATER-

Fans of smooth jazz have a rare chance to see Michael Bublé live on Monday, May 26 at the New Capital. The Grammy winner promises a landmark concert with his smooth, soulful voice and timeless hits for one special evening in Egypt. Tickets are now live on Ticketsmarché.

In the mood for a movie marathon? Manassat Film Festival is back for its 9th edition at Downtown Cairo’s Zawya Cinema this May. Running from Thursday, 29 May to Saturday, 31 May, the festival will be spotlighting a slew of Egyptian short films, and — alongside screening the films in the running for funding — will include a masterclass on costume and character design by Reem El Adl, and a few special presentations. Tickets can be purchased in person at Zawya starting Tuesday, 27 May.

When hosting a birthday bash, it’s only logical to call up the Sharmoofers. On Friday, 30 May, the Boom Room will be celebrating its first anniversary with a bang. The night will feature a special performance by viral Egyptian band Sharmoofers — and if a certain little birdie is to be believed, a few surprise performances. You can grab your tickets from Ticketsmarché.

It seems German DJ and Record Producer Adam Port couldn’t get enough of Egypt. Bringing the beats to the New Administrative Capital’s Green River on Friday, 30 May, Port will once more turn it up with his signature house beats, sprinkled with a musical dash of jazz and soul. Tickets are available through Ticketsmarché.

What the markets are doing on 19 May 2025

The EGX30 fell 1.1% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 3.1 bn (32.3% above the 90-day average). Regional investors were the sole net buyers. The index is up 5.4% YTD.

In the green: Qalaa Holdings (+1.5%), EFG Holding (+0.5%) and Ibnsina Pharma (+0.2%).

In the red: E-finance (-2.6%), Egypt Kuwait Holding -EGP (-2.4%) and Credit Agricole (-2.3%).

THE ENTERPRISE ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

14-31 May (Wednesday-Saturday): The Corner Shop pop-up in Downtown Cairo.

20 May (Tuesday): Mustafa the Poet at MUST Opera House.

20 May (Tuesday): Cairo Comedy Club at CJC 610.

21-31 May (Wednesday-Saturday): Disney On Ice at Cairo International Stadium.

21 May (Wednesday): Gaby Bishara at Boom Room.

21 May (Wednesday): Zaid Khaledand Massar Egbari at CJC 610.

22 May (Thursday): Tetrat w Zekrayat at Theatro Arkan.

23 May (Friday): Project Meem at Cairo Festival City.

23 May (Friday): Redbull Jukebox at Taj City.

24 May (Saturday): Open Mic Night at Room Art Space Garden City.

26 May (Monday): Michael Bublé at New Administrative Capital.

28 May (Wednesday): Jadalat CJC610.

29-31 May (Thursday-Saturday): Manassat Film Festival at Downtown Cairo’s Zawya Cinema.

29 May (Thursday): Omar Khairat at the Cairo Opera House.

30 May (Friday): Disco Misr Festival at Zed Park.

30 May (Friday): Adam Port at the New Administrative Capital’s Green River.

30 May (Friday): Sharmoofers at Boom Room.

30-31 May (Friday-Saturday): Dalida: Bint Shoubra at The Theatre.

31 May (Saturday): AUC Alumni Folklore Group at Theatro Arkan.

JUNE

1 June (Sunday): Mai Farouk at the Cairo Opera House.

6 June (Friday): 50 Years of AC/DC concert.

7 June (Saturday): Klangphonics and Oscar and the Wolf at Somabay’s Mesca Beach.

7-8 June (Saturday-Sunday): Makadi Heights Music Festival at The Haus, Makadi Heights.

26 June (Thursday): Jeff Dunham at the New Capital’s Drama Hall.

28 June (Saturday): Cairokee Empire concert at Cairo International Stadium.

OCTOBER

16-24 October (Thursday-Friday): Gouna Film Festival.

30 October - 22 November (Thursday-Saturday): Forever is Now at the Great Pyramids of Giza.

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