Apps

Shopee: SPX Express inaugurates 1st automated sorting facility

SOC 5 is the biggest SPX Express sorting facility in the PH

Published

February 22, 2024

Manila Connoisseur

Ever wondered what happens to your Shopee orders before it gets to you? SPX Express was generous enough to invite us to the inauguration of their biggest sorting facility yet.

SPX Express, Shopee’s de facto logistics solution in the Philippines, formally opened SOC 5. It is a massive, 25,000 sq. meter sorting center in Calamba, Laguna. It has been operational since late last year.

Remember SOC 3 which has been referenced countless times in Shopee-related memes? SOC 5 is basically an upgrade. The modern SPX Express sorting center is the first to feature automated sorting machines.

Faster, more efficient delivery process

According to SPX Express, the SOC 5 complex has automated virtually all processes for parcels. The facility uses the help of smart cameras, robotic machinery, and more. Parcels are scanned and sorted according to weight, size, and destinations. Employees, of course, are still in charge of spotting errors along the way, like loose parcels or return-to-seller.

The venue handles most Shopee orders from Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It is also one of two active SOCs right now. To date, there are 300 local sorting hubs, and almost all orders go through SOC 5.

Distinct orange-colored delivery trucks bring in the inbound parcels to the facility’s 37 conveyor belts. Employees put the smaller and lighter parcels to sacks, while bigger and heavier ones get processed separately.

With a modernized setup, SOC 5 can process up to 3 million parcels daily. This elevates the local logistics landscape with a more optimized end-to-end delivery solution. In fact, it takes just an hour for small parcels to get processed from inbound to outbound stage.

Apps

iOS 26.5 will support end-to-end encryption RCS messaging

The final update should come out within the month.

Published

May 5, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Back in 2023, Apple finally adopted the RCS messaging standard, ensuring that iOS and Android users could communicate more seamlessly despite being on different platforms. This year, the platform is adding an improvement to the feature: end-to-end encryption.

Starting with the upcoming launch of iOS 26.5, Apple will now support end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging between iOS and Android users (via 9to5Mac). Besides the seamless communication, users on both platforms can start enjoying secure messaging with one another.

Apple has been testing the feature since February. Now, the company is confident enough to release the encryption technology in a new build for iOS 26.5 meant for developers. At this point, it’s just waiting for an actual release.

Why is this a big deal? Encryption adds an extra layer of security for your messages. Plus, end-to-end encryption means that messages is encrypted and decrypted only by the sender and the receiver. Third parties, which includes Apple, cannot intercept and access your information.

With the feature on, both messaging platforms on Android and iOS will show a lock icon to signify that, yes, your messages are encrypted.

Though the current build isn’t meant for end users just yet, it’s expected that iOS 26.5 will launch within the month, if not by next week.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone 17e review

Apps

YouTube makes picture-in-picture mode free for everyone globally

The update is rolling out globally now.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Picture-in-picture (or PiP) mode is a godsend for multitaskers. The feature lets users watch videos in a tiny floating window while doing other tasks. However, the feature isn’t readily available for all users. Or wasn’t, at least. YouTube is now rolling out PiP mode for free globally.

Previously, PiP mode was exclusive to YouTube users who pay for Premium or Premium Lite. It was also exclusive to the United States.

Now, YouTube is making the feature completely free for users all over the globe. It will be available for both iOS and Android versions of the app.

There’s still a catch, though. The free version is available only for “longform, non-music content.” The same goes for Premium Lite subscribers. Music is still an exclusive feature for those who pay for the regular version of Premium. Basically, there is no change for paying users or users in the United States.

Using PiP mode is simple. All you need to do is load up a video you want to watch in the background. Then, just exit the YouTube app and go about your other tasks. The video will be inside a floating, resizable window while you look at other things.

There’s no timeline on when the update will reach your device. However, YouTube has promised that it will roll out globally within the coming months.

Apps

Google might be moving away from flat design

Bye bye, Material Design.

Published

April 27, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

It’s time to kindly shove off, flat design. After over a decade of Google’s Material Design, Android is finally showing signs of ditching flat, monotonous colors. In a series of logo redesigns, Google is reportedly trying out gradients as its latest reinvention.

As spotted by 9to5Google, Google is moving forward with incorporating gradients into its designs. Previously, the company started changing the icons of a few first-party apps including Photos and Maps. Now, it seems that the new design philosophy will reach the rest of Google’s suite.

In the obtained designs, the rest of Google’s plethora of apps will no longer look static. The splash of gradient adds the feeling of layering without losing the company’s roots in flat design. Docs and Sheets, for example, look like a light shining on pieces of paper.

Image source: 9to5Google

It’s unknown when Google plans to incorporate the new philosophy. However, with Google I/O coming fast, it’s fair to bet that an update might come out around that time, especially since that event’s logo already has gradients.

Google’s evolution is not without its precedent. Besides the company’s small trial previously, Apple’s iOS has also made inroads into more three-dimensional designs with the new Liquid Glass. However, unlike Apple, Google’s newest design is a far cry from the former’s return to Windows Vista aesthetics.

Personally, I don’t mind the transition to 3D, as long as it’s done well. Though still visually pleasing, flat design has started overstaying its welcome. It’s time to try something new.