Instagram’s new chat experience is rolling out
Facebook promised that it would make messaging easier across all of its apps (Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp) last year, and we've already seen evidence that the company was working on integrating Facebook Messenger with Instagram. Today, the company has...
16 temporarily free and 30 on-sale apps and games for Wednesday
Don't miss out on the sales for YoWindow Weather, Muse Dash, and Space Grunts
Welcome to Wednesday, everyone. While the middle of the week tends to be slow as far as sales are concerned, we still have a few standouts to share with everyone today. First up is the pleasant weather app YoWindow, which...
Firefox for Android brings back general extensions support, here's how to set it up
Finally, I can use AMP to HTML again
The brand new Firefox for Android rolled out to everyone last month, but it still lacks the broad extension support that made the original browser so popular. To quote Douglas Adams, "this had made many people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."...
Hot Wheels Unlimited is a shallow racing game that has the nerve to ask for a subscription
And it comes from a developer that knows a thing or two about branded cash-grabs
At first blush, I thought Hot Wheels Unlimited looked like an enjoyable children's game where kids can create courses to race on with their favorite Hot Wheel vehicles. Sadly this game is simply a shallow, boring, and...
YouTube Music gets a tabbed homescreen to match your current mood and activity
The new sections consist of some playlists that previously mysteriously disappeared
Google Play Music is on the way out (the desktop Music Manager has just been discontinued), and it looks like the company is polishing up YouTube Music as much as it can ahead of the full shutdown. Just a few days...
The Google Phone app is testing three new additions, including caller ID announcement
New app, who dis?
The Phone by Google app isn't a Pixel exclusive anymore, but that doesn't mean the development team is taking a break on implementing new stuff. Google officially announced Verified Calls earlier this month, and now we've gotten a look at two more additions currently in the works...
Google Messages is getting smarter with conversation categories in search
This test sorts messages into 5 specific categories that make it quicker to find what you're looking for
As the default messaging app on many Android devices, Google Messages is an important tool for staying in touch with friends and family. The app has continued to work on expanding support for RCS...
Stadia Pro adds Dead By Daylight, Human: Fall Flat, and four more titles in October
YouTube Live support also likely as Dead By Daylight launches with Crowd Choice
Stadia Pro continues to load up on the great game selection, and with October's lineup, will have 29 games to claim and play as long as they remain subscribers. And the list of six new additions for the month are pretty...
Collaborative Spotify playlists are getting more personal
So that's who added Anastasia to the Disney playlist
As one of the top music streaming services around the globe, Spotify is always testing out new features and improvements to make sure it holds onto that market share. Making playlists with friends has long been one of Spotify's most helpful features,...
Google Maps dark theme is finally starting to roll out, a year after it was first teased
And it's beautiful
Google has been teasing a dark theme for Maps for a year now, and after some code surfaced that pointed to traces of a dark mode in version 10.50 of the app, we've now got our first look at a proper, finished night-compatible theme in version 10.51.1. It's currently rolling out...
Disney+ is the latest streaming service to add group watching
Now you can binge Tron: Uprising together with friends
It's slightly more difficult to get together with friends to watch movies and TV shows, given there's a pandemic and all, which has led to a rush for group playback tools. Browser extensions for syncing playback across multiple people have seen...
Samsung Good Lock updates aim to help reduce your typos and tweak your share screen
The updated Home Up and Keys Cafe apps are coming next month to do all that and more
Galaxy phone owners have access to a whole bunch of customization options through Samsung’s Good Lock app. This month alone, the app got two major modules in the form of Pentastic and Wonderland, for tweaking the...
Google Play Music Manager for Windows is already shutting down
Migrate or or pull down those uploads while you can
Google Play Music's death date here in the US is set for just next month. But ahead of that eventual expiration, Google has started shutting down the Music Manager desktop application for managing your Play Music uploads, as it promised earlier this...
Google Play Music Manager for Windows is already shutting down
Migrate or or pull down those uploads while you can
Google Play Music's death date here in the US is set for just next month. But ahead of that eventual expiration, Google has started shutting down the Music Manager desktop application for managing your Play Music uploads, as it promised earlier this...
Google Duo's new-old feature lets you secretly swing by the toilet during a call
It finally gets its video off button back
Back in November 2019, Google reworked Duo's in-call interface and moved the controls to the bottom, making them more easily accessible on larger screens. Surprisingly, when the change rolled out to all users, the video off toggle vanished from the bottom...
RCS support in Messages seems to be spreading to additional countries
Latest: Austria, Bangladesh, Israel, Sri Lanka, and Switzerland
Update
We have reports from more countries.
After Google deployed RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the U.S. without the help of the four three big carriers, the company seems to be set to repeat that effort internationally. People...
Dragon Quest Tact is the latest gacha game from Square Enix, now available for pre-registration
Square sure knows how to bleed its properties dry
Square Enix has announced that it's free-to-play collection-based tactical RPG Dragon Quest Tact will be coming to the West on both Android and iOS. Back in February (2020), Square announced the game for Japan, and it would appear...
Google Maps gets a COVID layer so you know what you're getting into before going there
Hey Google, find me the fastest way out of here
As you open Google Maps today and try to check what the traffic will be like on your route, you'll probably notice a new highlight tip that points to a fresh and perfect addition for our modern lives: a COVID-19 layer. So whether you're about to travel...
Firefox for Android is expanding its limited extension support with 10 nice additions
Available on the Nightly channel right now
When Mozilla launched its completely rewritten Firefox for Android, we found a lot of things to like, but where there is light, there's shadow. Due to some unfinished APIs, add-on support is severely limited, so as of now, only nine hand-picked extensions...
Sleek new Gboard design starts rolling out to Android TV
Is Google paying more attention to the platform now that it's launching its own hardware?
Hot on the heels of the redesigned Gboard that's popping up on some people's phones, Google is also rolling out a new look for the keyboard on Android TV, as spotted and confirmed by multiple Redditors. It's...
Stadia is almost ready for launch on Android TV, just in time for Google's new Chromecast
You don't need a Bluetooth mouse for setup anymore
Google has been preparing Stadia support for Android TV for a while now, and it remains one of the only Google platforms where the game streaming service isn't officially available yet. It's already been possible to sideload Stadia to Android TV devices...
Google Meet brings noise cancellation to Android and iOS apps
Begone, barking dogs
Google Meet (formerly Hangouts Meet) has become an essential tool for workplaces and schools across the world, following the rise of COVID-related lockdowns and work-from-home measures. Google has been rapidly adding features over the past few months, and the latest improvement...
Roku introduces two new streaming devices alongside Roku Channel app
Also check out the new Roku OS update
Roku has been a big name in streaming for some time now — it seems like everyone and their mother has at least one Roku device in their house. If you're looking to add one to your home, or just to upgrade your existing streaming experience, you're in luck: the...
24 temporarily free and 89 on-sale apps and games for Monday
Don't miss out on the sales for Bendy and the Ink Machine, King of Dragon Pass, and Icewind Dale
Welcome to Monday, everyone. It would appear we have a boatload of sales to share with everyone today, including a handful of titles from Simple Mobile Tools. Of course, if you're looking for games,...
Spotify's latest shortcut should help streamline casting
One of its best features is getting even better
Apple Music might be upping its game on Android, but Spotify is no slouch. From karaoke mode to offline playback for free users, the defacto music streaming service has been experimenting with a lot of new additions recently — and we've spotted another...
Routines are replacing Nest Home/Away Assist, but it's a little confusing
Google Home routines will live alongside similar functionality in the Nest app for now
Earlier this month, an update to the Google Home app revealed a new presence sensing feature in the works, along with a revamped setup process for Home/Away routines. Now new information on the changes has hit online...
Listening to Developer Feedback to Improve Google Play
Posted by Sameer Samat, Vice President, Product Management
Developers are our partners and by pairing their creativity and innovation with our platforms and tools, together we create delightful experiences for billions of people around the world. Listening carefully to their feedback is an important...
Answering your FAQs about Google Play billing
Posted by Mrinalini Loew, Group Product Manager
We are committed to providing powerful tools and services to help developers build and grow their businesses while ensuring a safe, secure and seamless experience for users. Today we are addressing some of the most common themes we hear in feedback from...
YouTube Music tests seven Spotify-like daily playlist mixes
Spotify Daily Mixes, just for YouTube Music
YouTube Music has been picking up the pace lately in adopting some well-liked features of the outgoing Google Play Music. In addition to all the inherited stuff, the streaming app has also been getting a whole bunch of new features to make the experience...
Bundled Notes wants to supercharge your productivity with kanban boards
Plus tons of housekeeping ahead of version 1.0
Todoist just came forward with its own approach to kanban board-style project management, but if you need something less expensive or don't work on a large scale, you might be interested in Bundled Notes' approach to this organization style. Version 0.9...
Genshin Impact is the new benchmark for free-to-play mobile games, out now
Quality graphics, an actual story, and a large open world worth exploring
Genshin Impact is a free-to-play RPG that has been frequently compared to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, thanks to a similar cell-shaded art style. As you would expect, many gamers have been eagerly anticipating the...
Google Duo finally starts rolling out screen sharing — here's how it works
More than two years in the making
After years in the making (and breaking), Google confirmed earlier this month (then deleted the tweet) that screen sharing would soon be available to its Duo video calling service. The feature didn't go live immediately, but is now finally making its way to users....
Google Maps is getting a dedicated car mode UI
It's similar to Android Auto's phone interface and the forthcoming Assistant Driving Mode
Google already has an in-car navigation UI in the form of Android Auto, as well as a future replacement in the form of the Assistant Driving Mode, but it seems to be implementing a very similar concept in Google...
Google Messages is working on a way to automatically delete one-time passwords after 24 hours
Because such messages should self-destruct after being read
Whether you're making an online purchase or simply trying to log into your account, you're most likely going to be asked to enter a one-time code sent to your mobile number via SMS. Since these messages are useless a few minutes after being...
16 new Android games from the week of September 21, 2020
Root Board Game, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells, The Pocket Arcade, plus more
Welcome to the roundup of the new Android games that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous week or so. Today I have a fantastic digital adaptation of the Root board game, the official release...
Google Play Pass roundup: 25 of the best apps and games currently available on the service
No advertisements, no in-app purchases
Google Play Pass is a subscription service ($4.99 per month) that offers access to a vast selection of apps and games minus any advertisements and in-app purchases. Seeing that this service recently expanded to ten new territories, I've dug up a few of the...
