Magellan Voyage Quincentennial Kick-Off, SEA Games Ceremonies Dazzle Through Immersive Technology

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The opening and closing ceremonies of the recently concluded 30th Southeast Asian Games at the Philippine Arena and Clark City still makes jaws drop whenever the sounds and sights of it come to mind.

The brave and colorful Filipino spirit came to life on stage, providing glimpses of our art and culture, our tribal roots, old society elegance, and modern soul. The impressive, mind-blowing visual images that constantly changed, evolved and defied the imagination, added a new dimension to entertainment. They enhanced the storytelling and delivered the message with both sensitivity and punch.

Last December, another dazzling production kicked off the 500-day countdown to the 500 years of the Victory of Mactan in Cebu. The one-hour cultural show entitled “Mangayaw; The World of Our Ancestors” showcased graceful choreography, original music, and a captivating production of dazzling visuals. The Quincentennial Celebration aimed to highlight the heroism and importance of Lapu Lapu in Philippine history.

What audiences probably do not know is that the unsung hero of both the SEA Games and the Quincentennial kick-off is immersive technology. It can make everything magical and bigger than life. Captivating visual images that were constantly changing, evolving and defying the imagination added a new dimension to the viewing experience. They enhanced the storytelling and delivered the message with both sensitivity and punch.

In the Quincentennial kick-off, Video Mapping Technology by IMMRSV ASIA INC. helped transformed the show from just great to stupendous. Immersive technology was the creative tool that amplified the action to retell and relive early scenes of Philippine history.

Lutgardo Labad, noted composer and multi-awarded director of music and theater who led the presentation, said he was “completely swept away by the innovative technology of projection mapping”. “Before, props were firm and set with some finality in their tones and colors. But in my first-time experience of witnessing video or projection mapping, the texture of the physical backdrop: floors, walls and ceilings, became a new breed of characters themselves. They accentuate the emotions and provide a dynamic engagement with the human characters.”

“Immersive technology is a new tool that can turn any size wall, building façade, blank space or object into a screen that tells stories, teaches lessons, conveys information or evokes all sorts of emotion. It makes audiences act and respond to the events in a positive way because the audience becomes part of the message. That’s why brands, sports and government use immersive technology these days to kick off events, launch products, inaugurate places and promote tourism or mark special occasions. It’s the best storytelling tool,” said Tony Gloria, chairman and co-founder of IMMRSV Asia who also founded and chairs Optima Digital and UxS (Unitel/Straight Shooter).

“Using creative imagination with the help of 360-degree video, virtual reality and the unique application of sound, light and projection creates eye-popping, mesmerizing experiences. This innovative creative execution never fails to wow and send the message across. How can you forget something that you have been part of, or that became a part of you?” he added.

Immrsv Asia worked on the notable 30th SEA Games closing ceremonies -- resulting in tech-driven productions that were perfect in execution, with mind-boggling visual displays and dramatic overhead shots that provided world-class entertainment for all.

Mart Miranda, CEO of Video Sonic and co-founder / president of IMMRSV Asia says immersive technology creates modern day magic. And it has a lot of applications. Museum exhibits, for example, can bring historical figures to life through augmented reality. Julius Caesar can speak and tell his version of the Ides of March to students. Prehistoric animals can roam the premises so guests can measure their height against them. Theme parks can amp up the excitement and overall experience with headsets and touchscreen magic. “In fact, any one and anything can use immersive technology to achieve any desired effect,” said Miranda, whose IMMRSV firm recreated Hogwarts using immersive technology for a Harry Potter-themed party.

Sporting events have been ahead of the curve in embracing immersive technology, Miranda shared. “That’s because sports fans demand high-impact effects so they can better listen, watch and experience the action. New immersive technologies and apps have changed the ways that fans interact with teams, players and brand sponsors. Opening ceremonies of sports events have all benefited from immersive technology.”

“We have the creative vision, the talent, technology and equipment to achieve something local audiences have never seen. We can fuse existing technologies and creative approaches to create amazing, magical effects. Trust the innate art and capability of the Filipino. And trust the forward vision of our creative and production talents,” added Tony Gloria.

Now is the time to embrace these new mediums and let the world know that immersive domes, projection mapping, virtual augmented reality, air scan technology, 3D animation graphics, LED Baton, digital graffiti, holograms, interactive videos, interactive touch walls, dynamic thoughts and laser mapping are all here to help deliver the perfect message, Miranda concluded.

How Android Vs iOS User Behaviour Influences the Development for Your App?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Well, it is hard to say hat your target audience is looking for. Whether they would require your app or not is a tough nut to crack.

User behaviour is also dependent on the type of OS they are using.

When you understand the nature of Android and iOS users, it will also help you to know which user group is likely to buy your products.

Ultimately, this gives you a clear idea about which platform to use for the mobile app development project.

By knowing the user’s choice of smartphone, you can acquire the information about the statistics.

For example, according to a survey, the iOS user tends to have more income than Android users. Through this information, you can have a clear understanding of how much money you can invest in your product.

Even if your product would be costly, but give benefits in terms of service, iOS users are going to buy. (Higher-income factor)

When your monetisation strategy is dependent on in-app purchases, the iOS app is the most profitable platform you could have.

If you think to monetise through ads, relying on Android is a reliable option for you.

The main objective of any app is to offer a solution to a certain problem faced by the majority of people.

If you are also not aware of user behaviour and how it will affect the development of your app, read our article.

Beneath are some of the influential differences between iOS and Android users that will assist you in determining each platform easily.

If you want to develop your app in a short time, you can carry your Android development in Sydney from a reputed company.


Device Quality and features

There are some prominent differences between iOS and Android devices that influence the user experience and this also can be the reason you might choose one against another.

For instance, Android does not have any stringent regulation when it comes to app submission in the play store, whereas it is indeed very difficult to get permission to submit an app in the App store.

Android users lay more emphasis on freedom and customizability, which helps them to customise their phone according to their particular needs.

The iOS app takes a long time to develop and here the verification process is also very secure.

iOS users have the facility of the more consistent and intuitive app experience, which is a virtue appreciated by all its users.

Spending Behaviour of the Consumer

Knowing how each user would pay for in-app purchases or app is not at all easy.

There is a huge gap between the spending of an Android user for an app and iOS user.

According to a survey, the Google play store only generated $24.8 billion USD whereas the App store generated 2X income that is $46.6 billion USD.

iOS users mostly spend more on cosmetics and clothing. This information can be very much beneficial for brands that are working hard to create an app or want to generate income from the paid apps.

Android apps generally rely on mobile advertising because it is the main source of their revenue.


Demographics of the User

Today, Android holds a 2/3rd of the global market share. It is because of the popularity of Android users in developing countries and the lower-income class.

iOS is more popular in countries such as Uk, Japan, and North America for better income level and education.

Therefore, you can easily get access to reputed iOS app development services in Sydney.

Studies have also suggested that when app engagement is higher, it tends to do more investment for the app.

According to a mobile gaming app report by liftoff shows that women made more in-app purchases, which was 26 per cent higher than the men.

The factors like purchasing decisions, income, and location of the individuals impacted the engagement activities in enrolling subscription and in-app purchases. You must consider all these factors while planning to monetise for your next big project.

The demographic differences also play a vital role in influencing which type of app a user will download.

Engagement and Retention Ratio

iOS and Android users use their devices for finding the relevant content as per their needs.

iOS users bagged the title of power users for engaging with more content on their devices for a prolonged period of time.

The speed of notification is also faster in iOS in comparison to Android devices.

According to a survey conducted by Leanplum, iOS users roughly open a notification in seven minutes whereas Android users open the notification in 48 minutes.

You might not know that the number of media users chooses Android devices.

Android users generally prefer high performance, utility, and secure apps.

When it comes to security and performance of the app in different categories, android users spend fives times more money than iOS users.

There are various objectives such as reservation, Subscription, in-app purchases, and registration where requirement varies for Android and iOS.

The performance of certain goals like registration, reservation, purchase, in-app purchase, and subscription vary between iOS and Android.

iOS exceeds in all these categories, the only exception is the registration process where the android users have maximum benefits.


The Verdict - Android Vs iOS

When you are focusing on which platform is better for your mobile app, you have to analyse what is the purpose of your application.


What is more important for you, a number of users or engagement of the users?

When you find your designated goal, it becomes easy to make an investment for your app.

Frankly speaking, you must develop an app for both iOS and Android to reach the maximum audience base, however; this is not always possible.

Both the Android and iOS platform have their unique pros and cons, therefore when you understand the difference between them, it can help you to make more prominent decisions for the development of an app.

How Credit Scores and Ratings Affect Your Loan Application

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The first thing to know about a loan application is that it presents a level of risk to the bank or the financial institution that will receive such application, knowing very well that they might end up losing the money if the borrower does not pay the amount back. 

For this reason, such institutions thoroughly scrutinize every loan application in their effort to provide credit only to the most suitable borrower, one is trustworthy and capable enough to pay back the credit to be borrowed to them.

Credit scores and credit ratings

One way that financial institutions determine such capability is by the person’s credit score which quantifies the person’s level of “creditworthiness” or the chances that the person can repay their loans on time. 

The higher a person’s credit score, the greater the chances not only of receiving their requested credit but also of being eligible to be given a higher credit limit, whether for a loan or for a credit card. 

On the other hand, a lower credit score entails getting a lower credit than what is requested in the application, if not getting a declined application.

Determining a borrower’s credit score is not something financial institutions like licensed moneylenders do themselves. Instead, they rely on the help of the credit bureau, which serves as a database of borrowers’ information. 

While the credit bureau does not disclose the specifics of how it computes a borrower’s credit score, there are a number of factors that come into play:

● The amount of credit a borrower currently has

● The different credit vehicles the borrower has availed

● The payment terms including the length of payment given for a particular credit

● Credit payment history, which includes history of on-time payments and the amounts paid (if payments were less than the minimum payment required or not)

These factors are measured quantitatively by the credit bureau using a credit rating. The credit rating helps the credit bureau compute the borrower’s credit score that will determine whether they can get the credit being applied for. 

While a financial institution may have other criteria in approving loan applications, the credit rating and score provided by the credit bureau remains the most important factor they take into consideration.

Factors affecting credit scores and ratings

While the credit rating system may seem straightforward enough, this is complicated by the fact that there is more than one credit bureau in existence, and each credit bureau has its own credit rating system that they adhere to. 

This means that a borrower having certain credit score may be considered a “low-risk” borrower, which means he can avail certain credit, but another credit agency may consider the said score as a bit more “high-risk” of a borrower. 

More so, some financial institutions only rely on a single credit bureau for their information on their borrowers. This means if a credit bureau has a more stringent credit rating system in place, it might entail a slimmer chance for credit approval.

Credit ratings are also prone to errors such as wrong figures in the borrower’s outstanding amount or uncredited credit payments within the period generated in the report. Such mistakes can adversely affect a borrower’s credit scores, especially if one does not conduct due diligence on their credit information.

Fortunately, credit bureaus offer a free credit report at least once a year. It is advised especially for borrowers to take advantage of this offering to have a better idea of one’s financial health especially in terms of credit. 

This also provides an opportunity to dispute any mistakes in the credit report which may help improve the credit score as a result.

Credit “unscored” and “invisible”

Sometimes, credit bureaus may not provide a credit rating on a borrower who may have either very little credit information available (“unscored”) or have none at all (“invisible”), especially first time loan applicants. 

Without such credit information, these borrowers are deemed to be “high-risk” and would have difficulty applying for onlinecash loans in Philippines, though there are borrowers who are willing to make exceptions and help build the borrower’s credit history in the process.