Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Welcome to the 513th version of Android Apps Weekly, the place we talk about the newest in cellular information and take a more in-depth take a look at among the most fascinating new apps and video games. This week noticed the discharge of one other app claiming to copy iMessage for Android customers, however this time it really appears to work. Google was additionally within the information for a couple of causes, similar to worth will increase for YouTube prospects together with these beforehand grandfathered into older plans.
Let’s leap proper in and try among the largest highlights from the final week:
- Apple doesn’t formally provide iMessage for Android customers however a couple of workarounds have surfaced over time, together with Beeper, which helps you to use iMessage however requires you handy over your ID within the course of. Nothing launched an identical resolution not too long ago, till it was immediately pulled after it grew to become clear the app was a safety nightmare. The excellent news is {that a} true resolution has lastly arrived within the type of Beeper Mini. The app doesn’t require you handy over your iMessage credentials and, at most, takes minutes to arrange. The one draw back is the service isn’t free and can set you again $1.99 a month. Beeper claims that that is just the start and that Beeper Mini will ultimately combine WhatsApp, SMS, RCS, and Facetime assist.
- YouTube has been cranking up costs on YouTube Premium in an increasing number of areas because it continues its struggle in opposition to ad-blockers and makes an attempt to pressure customers over to Premium. Now South Korea is becoming a member of the membership with a worth enhance. That’s not the one dangerous information, YouTube Premium can be shifting all its beforehand grandfathered accounts over to new pricing plans. For those who have been presently paying $9.99 a month or much less you’ll see a rise to $13.99 a month beginning in January.
- Google not too long ago introduced its new Gemini massive language mannequin, which now powers the newest model of the Bard chatbot. So when will this improved performance come to Assistant? Code inside the Google App signifies Assistant with Bard is getting nearer to launch, with extra strings shifting from the beta to the secure model of the app. The identical code dive additionally revealed a couple of new tidbits about Bard’s picture technology capabilities and extension assist.
- Discord has up to date its cellular app’s UI, optimizing it for the small display and shifting away from its earlier design which tried to line up higher with its internet and desktop apps. Sadly, not everybody likes the brand new look and a few are upset to be taught there’s no method to transfer again to the previous look, because the change is server-side.
- It’s no secret that the world’s governments prefer to spy on civilians however Apple and Google have now confirmed that governments can spy on customers via push notifications. This data can inform the federal government how customers work together with apps and even give them entry to the notification’s full textual content. It’s good to have extra transparency and it illustrates the purpose that privateness simply isn’t one thing assured while you’re on the net.
- Meta has been speaking about Meta AI for some time now, however the Meta chatbot is now out there for all customers within the US throughout Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. The bot can generate pictures in chats and rather more. Moreover, Meta can be opening up its AI picture technology instrument to cellular and desktop customers within the US.
- WhatsApp isn’t simply getting Meta AI, it’s additionally bringing its View As soon as mode to voice messages. Voice messages will self-delete after they’re performed for the primary time. View As soon as messages are clearly marked with a particular icon to indicate they will solely be performed one time.
- After it introduced the demise of Google Podcasts, Google stated it will ultimately introduce a instrument and would make clear on how lengthy customers needed to migrate their knowledge. As promised, Google has now revealed the instrument will arrive within the subsequent few weeks and customers will be capable of preserve listening to podcasts till March 2024. After that, they’ll have till July 2024 to maneuver the information earlier than it’s too late.
Android Apps Weekly: New apps and video games of the week
In search of some new Android apps and Android video games to maintain you occupied? Beneath, we check out a few of our favourite solutions for the week. This time round we’re getting lots of nice premium video games, lots of which have been widespread on PC and console.
Loss of life’s Door
- Value: Free with a Netflix subscription
Loss of life’s Door is a singular action-adventure recreation the place you play as a small crow who collects soles as his occupation. Beforehand the sport was a success on each the PC and console. The brand new port stays true to the unique recreation however provides contact controllers and some different modifications to raised go well with it for cellular. General this appears like the total recreation however with some very large limitations together with an absence of bodily controller assist, a lock to only 30fps, and I’ve to confess I bumped into a couple of different efficiency glitches and hiccups with the Pixel 6 Professional I examined it on. The sport is playable and fully free so long as you could have a Netflix subscription, however simply remember it gained’t be fairly as clean of an expertise in the event you’ve performed it elsewhere. For these with older telephones it’s additionally vital to notice there’s no video high quality settings, simply what you get out of the field.
Goat Simulator 3 is one other console/PC port making its method to Android. The cellular model options co-op assist and all of the core options you’d count on. Whereas the sport is true to what you’d get on different platforms, it tends to be loads much less secure. I had to make use of my Google Pixel 7 to get a superb expertise, as my Pixel 6 Professional struggled onerous. Even then, I had a couple of bugs, stutters, and different graphical points. What’s made worse is that there’s no method to alter your graphics settings on this title, which might doubtless go a great distance in bettering the expertise.
Hitman: Blood Cash Reprisal
Yet one more port! This time we’re a remake of the 2006 unique, remastered with new quality-of-life options together with touchscreen optimizations and some different modifications together with an Intuition Mode, which was launched to the collection within the 2012 recreation Hitman: Absolution. In contrast to the opposite video games on the checklist thus far, this one is a port that has really zero notable efficiency points. I performed it on three totally different gadgets briefly and located the expertise labored effectively even on telephones that have been a bit older or mid-range.
Shapez
- Value: Free with in-app purchases
After a bunch of hardcore video games, I assumed I’d carry you one thing barely extra informal, although it’s nonetheless a port. Whereas the Steam model prices, it is a free recreation although there are in-app purchases that unlock the total expertise. Shapez is a singular recreation the place you construct advanced factories to automate the creation of more and more advanced shapes. It’s a great way to train your mind and is lots of enjoyable. Sadly, the cellular controls aren’t fairly pretty much as good and there are a couple of bugs right here and there. Right here’s hoping the sport will get higher over time, however in its present type, it’s playable, simply not fairly pretty much as good as what you’d get within the non-mobile model.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Whereas we talked about Beeper Mini within the information, we figured we’d add it to our new apps highlight as effectively. The brand new app primarily methods Apple into letting you into their unique blue field membership. You’ll get all the identical options as iMessage customers and iPhone customers will see you as simply one other iMessage person. Whereas it’s unclear how Apple will react to this app and if there’s even something they will do about it, for now we extremely advocate this in the event you’ve thought of switching to an iPhone only for iMessage. Apple’s messaging app is extraordinarily widespread within the US and I’ve identified various individuals who have switched telephones only for that, together with my very own sister. The one actual draw back right here is you’ll should pay $1.99 for the service.
Professional Tip of the Week
In our Professional Tip of the Week, we share ideas or solutions that we expect may gain advantage our readers. This might embrace app suggestions for obscure apps that aren’t new, how-to guides for rising points, or any recommendation we expect will enable you to out.
Interested by ditching X? Right here’s our ideas for the most effective options to Twitter
Lately there have been a number of new apps making an attempt to attract in customers which have grow to be jaded by Musk’s model of Twitter. Which Twitter various is the most effective for you? It is dependent upon what you’re searching for. Mastodon beforehand drew consideration for its extra open-source consideration however has pale a bit from the highlight and was in all probability by no means destined to grow to be something greater than a distinct segment various. Nonetheless, it’s a good selection if you wish to form of construct your individual factor.
Simply searching for one thing that feels much like Twitter? Meta’s Threads community might be the obvious alternative and Threads compares largely favorably to X. Whereas it’s not an ideal substitute, it comes shut and has the most important person base at over 100 million. Whereas X stays the extra versatile possibility, many have left the community simply out of precept on account of disagreements with how Musk is dealing with the corporate. For those who’re discovering your favourite Twitter customers have jumped ship, you’re extra prone to discover them on Thread than on among the different Twitter-like apps.
One other strong possibility can be Bluesky Social. You’ll be able to be taught extra about the way it compares to Twitter in our X vs Bluesky information. We even have an explainer that helps spotlight the variations between Bluesocial vs Threads as effectively.
