PayMaya is now available as a payment method for the App Store and other Apple services in the Philippines

Beginning today, PayMaya is now available as a payment method for Apple services in the Philippines. Customers can use their PayMaya account to pay for App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV app, and iTunes Store purchases, iCloud storage and more.

The addition of PayMaya as an Apple ID payment method offers a new way to pay for Apple services without needing a credit card and still allows for easy, one-tap purchasing from all Apple devices. PayMaya does not share your bank information with Apple, making it simple and private.

"Having PayMaya as a payment option for Apple purchases brings immense convenience for Filipinos who are looking to unlock even more possibilities with their Apple devices, especially for those who have little to no access to a credit card or other financial products. We're excited for the many ways PayMaya can help owners of Apple devices fulfill their digital purchase needs in the Phillippines," said Shailesh Baidwan, President of PayMaya.

Take SM Cinema On the Go with New App

Your favorite cinema is now app-cesible! Skip the long lines and go straight to your movie – SM Cinema launches its free app for quicker reservations and paperless movie tickets.

SM Cinema developed its very own app that allows you to find your preferred movie at the nearest theatre, reserve or purchase your tickets in seconds and directly enter the cinema through a QR code that you could scan at the gate. You can avoid arriving early, waiting in line, or printing your ticket at the booth and focus on the movie magic instead.

Features of the app include the following features:

Your theatre, your time. Check what’s playing in the SM Cinema hub closest to you

Skip the ticket booth. Go paperless and scan the QR code in the app directly at the entrance.

ASEAN SHINE’s Cost Savings Calculator lets shoppers choose more efficient AC units

The hot tropical climate is driving air-conditioning sales in Metro Manila, with one out of five households having purchased an AC unit in the last two years according to German-based market research firm GfK.

Similar trends are seen in neighboring countries. A joint 2015 study by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the ASEAN Standard Harmonization Initiative for Energy Efficiency (ASEAN SHINE) revealed that air-conditioning accounted for almost half of the total residential and commercial power demand in Southeast Asia.

XSTIG: KakaoTalk Shoots to Number 1 in the PH App Store and Google Play

KakaoTalk, the newest mobile messaging application to reach the country, is now the number one free social networking application in the Philippine iOS App Store and the number one free communications application in Google Play. The mobile application saw a surge of downloads over the past couple of weeks, taking the No. 1 spot in Communications category of Google Play on the 18th, following its matched success in the App Store where it rose to become the No. 1 Social Networking application on August 7th, the same day of its official launch.

The impressive results are backed by Kakao’s aggressive localization efforts, in addition to the messenger’s fun and unique features. On August 7th, Kakao launched a TV and radio ad of KakaoTalk featuring K-pop superstars, Big Bang and Philippines’ pop princess, Sarah Geronimo. These two stars are also featured on KakaoTalk’s Plus Friend channel, a fun interactive advertisement platform where users can add Sarah and BigBang’s official accounts to their Friends’ list to receive latest updates and content including pictures and videos on them. Kakao plans to partner with more celebrities and companies in the Philippines to offer Filipino users content that is locally relevant.