Apps
The airasia Super App lets you book flights, hotels, and more
It’s called a Super App for a reason!
Capital A, formerly known as AirAsia Group, launched its digital venture called the airasia Super App in the Philippines. It’s Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing integrated digital travel and lifestyle platform.
Following its success in Malaysia and Thailand, the app is expected to change the local e-commerce game in the Philippines. Especially with the country’s efforts gearing towards its post-pandemic recovery.
One-stop-shop travel and lifestyle app
Currently, the airasia Super App is the first and only one-stop-shop travel and lifestyle app in the country. It allows users to compare and book flights to more than 3,000 destinations with over 700 airlines to choose from.
For example, you can only visit El Nido — one of the most beautiful islands in the world — through a direct flight via AirSWIFT. Meanwhile, AirAsia doesn’t have a direct flight to El Nido. This means passengers should get off in Puerto Princesa and take land travel up north to reach El Nido. Through the Super App, you have the option to book AirAsia’s flights or even AirSWIFT.
Book hotels and more
The airasia Super App lets you find accommodations. It offers a roster of over 200,000 hotels to help you secure the best deals. Moreover, the Super App aims to take a jab against the likes of Grab and Klook. It also has services such as car rides, parcel deliveries, travel packages, and activities in the nearest future.
In the coming months, expect to see a ride-hailing service called airasia ride and digital food delivery called airasia food.
“With the reopening of borders across the region, we are sure that Filipinos will find the best travel deals on our super app, and enjoy other lifestyle offerings such as airasia food, airasia ride, airasia xpress and more when they travel to other countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and when they’re introduced in the Philippines soon,” says Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A Berhad.
The Super App also presents a digital tax-free shopping platform called TravelMall, which will allow users to shop for food, clothes, and other products at lower prices in just a few taps.
Full-on support from the Philippine government
Cabinet officials graced the launch of airasia Super App, welcoming the app and discussing its promising growth.
“With innovation, it’s all about introducing new ways of doing things, processes, products and services. Obviously, that kind of mindset is what we need with or without pandemic. What Super App is doing is definitely one step and probably many steps towards innovation,” says Mon Lopez, Secretary for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Emmanuel Caintic, acting secretary for the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) also congratulated Capital A on the launch.
“airasia has once again proven itself to be a digital company that evolves with time and is committed in developing relevant business solutions for the people. The official launch of the airasia Super App is a remarkable milestone as it makes technology in travel, lifestyle and financial services more understandable, affordable and flexible,” Caintic stated.
Further, Caintic described the Super App as “a testament to pivot to digital economy because it’s the best driver for growth.”
Celebrating the milestone with a month-long Super Sale
The airasia Super App offers a Fly Home to Vote Promo. Users can book from April 3 to 10 and travel from April 3 to September 3, 2022. The promo encourages Filipinos to practice their right to vote in the May 9 elections.
There’s also a SNAP (fly + stay) promo at Amorita Resort in Bohol for only PhP 10,199 per person for three (3) days and two (2) nights. The booking period is from April 4 to 10 and the travel period is from April 4 to September 30, 2022.
If you’re flying domestically, get airasia Super App’s Online Travel Agency 20% discount with promo code PHSUMER20. The airasia TravelMall also offers a special promo from April 1-30, 2022 for those flying back home. Simply use the promo code PASALUBONG50 to slash as much as 50% off of TravelMall items.
The airasia Super App is available in the App Store, Play Store, and the AppGallery.
Apps
Disney+ launches a TikTok-coded vertical feed called Verts
TikTok has changed how we consume media. Everything is now vertical. Even the most established streaming services, often a bastion for traditionally horizontal content, is adopting the different format. Now, Disney+ is getting a vertical feed called Verts.
Like its contemporaries, Verts presents a continuous feed of content but tailored to show the plethora of titles from the Disney+ library. This might include the first scenes of shows or notable highlights. The hope, of course, is to direct users to the longform content.
Directly from the Verts feed, users can easily add the respective title to their watchlist or go straight to the title’s page. In turn, the feed is accessible from the homepage since it has its own tab.
According to Disney, early experiments with the feature have driven engagement to available content. Right now, the feed is mostly for clipping enticing content from shows. However, the platform will experiment further with the format for new ways to tell stories.
Though Verts surely stands for “verticals” in this case, “adverts” might fit better as its full government name. Still, it might be a useful tool if you’re figuring out what to watch for the night.
Currently, Verts is available for Disney+ subscribers in the United States. Disney also has plans to expand the feature to ESPN for sports-related content.
SEE ALSO: Live NBA action on Disney Plus now available in the Philippines
Some of today’s navigation apps are living in the future. Instead of a two-dimensional map, these apps render the user’s surroundings in 3D. It’s a nifty upgrade that helps drivers more accurately visualize directions on the fly. Finally, Google Maps is getting a much-needed upgrade and will take navigation to the third dimension.
In a new update rolling out today, the new Immersive Navigation feature will bring your surroundings to life. The 3D view creates a render of the surrounding buildings, overpasses, and terrain around the car. It takes the guesswork out of navigation by showing precisely where to turn and what landmarks to look out for.
In the same vein, you can now use Street View to preview your destination before you arrive. Google Maps will also highlight your destination’s entrance, side of the street, and nearby parking.
Outside of how the map is visualized, Google Maps is also infusing its service with Gemini. The new Ask Maps feature will let you engage with the app in a conversational manner. For example, if you’re in the middle of a long drive, you can now ask Maps where the best place is to stop over and have a coffee break. Ask Maps will provide directions, a potential itinerary, and even helpful links to book a reservation ahead of time.
Now, availability for both of these features is still a bit limited. Immersive View is rolling out today to compatible devices and vehicles in the United States. Further, availability will expand over the coming months.
Meanwhile, Ask Maps is available now in the United States and India for Android and iOS. A desktop version is coming soon.
SEE ALSO: Google Maps is finally getting a power saving mode
Apps
Apple Music, TikTok launch Play Full Song, a new music discovery experience
Rolling out worldwide exclusively through Apple Music
Ever came across a viral 15 or 30-second music snippet on TikTok that instantly became your jam on repeat?
For years, TikTok has been a regular source of songs that have become part of our playlists. And together with Apple Music, listening to the music you discover has just gotten even easier.
That’s through Play Full Song, a new music discovery experience, which launches exclusively though Apple Music.
With the new feature, Apple Music subscribers can now enjoy full-length tracks that they discover on TikTok. That’s without ever leaving that popular streaming app.
Fans who discover a song that they love on their For You or Sound Detail page can simply tap the Play Full Song button to open up an Apple Music player and enjoy the song in its entirety.
From there, subscribers can continue listening to a personalized stream of recommended songs. That means no more need to switch apps and search separately.
The new Play Full Song experience helps music fans move seamlessly from the moment of discovery to deeper listening. It’s also designed to be instant and all within the same environment.
Moreover, users can also save their favorite songs to Your Music and add them directly to their Apple Music playlists.
Built using Apple’s MusicKit, full-length song playback takes place on Apple Music. This way, streams are paid within the Apple Music service, supporting artists and rights holders while giving fans a smooth, uninterrupted experience.
Listening Party also launched
The feature builds on the success of TikTok’s Add to Music App. This was previously launched to help artists and fans convert discovery on TikTok to a playlist save in Apple Music and other streaming services.
To cap the announcement, TikTok and Apple Music are also introducing Listening Party. This new feature is designed to bring artists and fans together around music.
It creates a shared environment where fans can listen to songs from their favorite artists in real time, interact with each her, and engage directly with the artist during the session.
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