Apple gives backing to UAE's Coders HQ to boost app developer pool

Show caption: Apple has a long-standing developer programme to help create…

Members will be able to tap into company's training assets, including Swift programming

• Apple has accredited the UAE's Coders HQ as an authorised education training centre, boosting access to global specialised training resources.
• Coders HQ members will gain access to Apple's Swift programming language, used to develop apps across the company's suite of operating systems.
• Launched in 2022, Coders HQ was established under Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid's directives, in partnership with more than 40 major companies.
• Apple's App Store has over 2.17 million apps and 60 million registered developers, who have collectively earned more than $550 billion since 2008.
• "A competitive digital economy begins with people who have the skills to embrace emerging technologies," said Abdelrahman Al Mahmoud, a director at the UAE Artificial Intelligence Office.

Apple has accredited the UAE's Coders HQ as an authorised education training centre, a move that is expected to boost the country's app development community.

The accreditation will enable Coders HQ members to tap into the iPhone maker's global network of specialised training assets, the UAE Artificial Intelligence Office said in a statement on Thursday.

Those include training programmes and learning resources, in addition to co-ordinating with global trainers and educational institutions for designing, developing and testing apps, the AI office added.

Coders HQ members will also be able to learn Apple's Swift programming language, which is used to develop apps for the company's stable of operating systems, including the iPhone's iOS.

"The UAE continues to foster an environment where talent can thrive, ideas can be tested and new opportunities for learning and innovation can emerge," said Abdelrahman Al Mahmoud, a director at the AI office.

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"Developing future-ready skills remains central to strengthening our nation's competitiveness and consolidating its position as a global leader in technology and innovation."

Coders HQ was introduced in 2022, part of the UAE's efforts to position itself as a global hub for innovation. Part of the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, it was launched in partnership with more than 40 companies, including Adnoc, Majid Al Futtaim Holding, Microsoft, Facebook parent Meta Platforms, IBM and Dell Technologies.

Apple, meanwhile, has been supporting developers globally to help create apps for its suite of products. The company's 2025 transparency report showed that it has more than 60 million registered developers and more than 2.17 million apps on its App Store. Those developers have also earned more than $550 billion since the App Store's launch in 2008, it said earlier this year.

At Apple Stores, the company also offers educational sessions at its Today at Apple programme, which also encourages people to take up coding.

"A competitive digital economy begins with people who have the skills to embrace emerging technologies and the ability to translate knowledge into solutions that make a meaningful difference in society," Mr Al Mahmoud said.

Updated:

October 29, 2026, 3:16 PM