the difference in implicit vs explicit? It’s the same operation
"implicit multiplication" isn't even a real thing in Maths, and isn't even multiplication to begin with - people use that umbrella term to either mean The Distributive Law - which is the first step is solving Brackets - or Terms, which are products, which is the result of a multiplication.
e.g. if a=2 and b=3, then...
axb=2x3 - 2 terms
ab=6 - 1 term
Multiplication comes first, then division
They can be done in either order, or even together, as long as you go left to right.
xy is a Term - Terms are separated by operators (none in this case) and joined by grouping symbols.
x(y) is a Bracketed Term, and is therefore subject to The Distributive Law, which is the first step in solving Brackets.
And yes, a multiplication symbol is an operator - which therefore separates Terms (which is why ab and axb aren't the same thing - it's 1 term vs. 2 terms), and the "M" in the mnemonics refers literally to multiplication signs, and nothing else.