Apps

Zalora pop-up store is a shopping and Instagram haven

Published

December 24, 2017

Isa Rodriguez

In 2017, shopping looks different. With a few swipes and taps on your smartphone, you can have anything delivered to your doorstep.

Zalora, a company of Global Fashion Group, is pushing the envelope and blurring the lines between online and offline shopping.

Presenting: The Zalora pop-up store

Found at Bonifacio High Street Central in BGC, the store houses Zalora favorites.

But, it’s not just any store.

Zalora recognizes that this first-hand experience can be an integral part of shopping for a number of people, hence a pop-up that allows shoppers that leeway was set up.

In an effort to bridge online and offline shopping and create a seamless customer experience, the digital fashion platform allows shoppers an opportunity to see products for themselves — products they’d otherwise only see on the Zalora app.

All you need to do is pick out what you want to try out, do the fitting, and click away on your Zalora app to buy.

Aside from this, Zalora has also been putting their “Click-and-Connect” concept to work. Online shoppers can redirect their orders to Ayala Malls for pick up whenever convenient for the shoppers — this also means free shipping and 30-day returns and exchanges!

Shopping and interactive fun

Aside from all the shopping that may be had in the pop-up, Zalora also offers cool interactive activities. This may look like a normal photo wall…

… but it’s not just that! You can scan these photos to unlock cute animations.

The whole area is very, very Instagrammable.

Trust me, I tried it. In fact, you’re encouraged to shoot away here!

More Zalora app options

Of course, there are also in-app improvements.

Zalora has just recently launched their visual search. You can now snap a photo through the app and it will search for similar products on sale.

For example: Like that floral dress? All it takes is one photo…

… and voila! Think of all the shopping possibilities!

Parker Gundersen, CEO of the Zalora group, explains that the “platform is the value [they] add.” He tells me in an interview that Zalora is constantly growing and trying to find ways to make their site more relevant to their consumers. Today, that means constant personalization of content for each app user through algorithms, machine learning, and real-life/online integration such as this.

Who knows what Zalora will bring us next? In the meantime, the brand has paved way for an interesting shopping experience.

[irp posts=”24332″ name=”OPPO Beauty Box is the perfect place to take Instagram photos”]

Apps

Google, on Android adopting Liquid Glass: “Not happening!”

Just in case you were wondering.

Published

May 7, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Google is slightly moving away from Material Design. Last week, a set of icon changes saw Android adding splashes of gradients to its formerly flat app icons. To poke fun at Android’s move away from flat designs, a user on X created a mockup of Android running Apple’s Liquid Design. Google, however, had a response ready in the chamber.

On X, @Micetor made a mockup of Android, specifically on the upcoming Pixel 11, using Apple’s latest Liquid Design aesthetics. It looked much like what an iPhone does except with Google’s icons and fonts.

Clearly, Google does not need to reply to any unsubstantiated mockups about its ecosystem. But they still did.

Sameer Samat, Google’s head for the Android ecosystem, personally replied to the mockup with a simple rebuttal: “Not happening!”

Not happening! Y'all are wild. 😂

— Sameer Samat (@ssamat) May 5, 2026

Despite using the design language for over a decade, Google does not want to drop Material Design altogether. Though the new gradients have revitalized the design language somewhat, the essence of flat design is still there.

Apple, on the other hand, wants a return to 3D. Liquid Design mimics the transparent aesthetics of Windows Vista. Though a bunch of users have found the design polarizing, other brands have started copying the design for themselves, incorporating elements on Liquid Design on their interfaces.

Whatever Google is doing, it’s coming in due time. The company is hosting its annual Google I/O on May 12 to showcase new developments coming to the Android ecosystem, including its design.

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.