Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirates dedicated governmental entity for promoting heritage, culture and the arts, today announced an Augmented Reality (AR)-enabled mobile app at GITEX Technology Week being held at the Dubai International Convention Centre.

The innovative and interactive Dubai Culture app aims to enrich the visitor experience by drawing on the latest technology. It complements the Smart Dubai vision announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. It also supports the Smart City vision of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, who has called for joint efforts to strengthen the citys smart initiatives.

Serving as a smart connect between Dubais glorious heritage and inspiring modernity, the Dubai Culture app will be available for downloading soon from Dubai Cultures newly redesigned web portal at www.dubaiculture.gov.ae. It will also be available later for downloads from iTunes store for Apple devices or Google Play store for Android devices.

Moza Suwaidan, Director of Information Technology Department at the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, said: With the Dubai Culture app, we are setting a benchmark in fostering cultural collaboration and knowledge sharing. While its primary purpose is to familiarise users with the heritage and cultural sites in Dubai, the App takes cultural interactivity to a whole new level.

For the first time, visitors to Dubai and residents now have the convenient facility to discover the citys treasures seamlessly and gain insights into the citys cultural heritage with the touch of a button. The Dubai Culture app is a strong demonstration that when technology meets creativity, the end-result is unparalleled.

The distinguishing aspect of the Dubai Culture app, which takes it to the next level in technology integration, is its AR features, supported by iBeacon. It will guide users to AR locations identified by Dubai Culture. The App will notify the user when they are in close proximity of any AR-content and scanning the camera in the smartphone will bring to life the AR targets to visualise the content.

A geo-location map enabled functionality will enable users to locate all relevant heritage, cultural and artistic destinations in the city. It will also provide details on cultural events in the city, the newly discovered artefacts and other artistic aspects of the city.

In the first phase, the Dubai Culture app will provide details of Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, the heart of Dubais cultural heritage, and in the second phase, it will cover all Heritage Sites in the city as well as offer a Smart Tourist Guide in addition to the other features.

Linked to the social networks of Dubai Culture, the app will enable users to provide feedback, interact with the creative community and share their cultural interests with the world.

Visit Dubai Cultures website at www.dubaiculture.gov.ae. Follow Dubai Culture on Twitter at @DubaiCulture; on Facebook and on Instagram.