Hello and welcome to the Android Apps Weekly. Here are the top stories from the previous week:
- Google’s Pixel Launcher software now has an iOS-like capability. It now displays apps as they are being installed on your home screen, much like iOS. We believe it will be part of the “play as you download” functionality that Google will eventually implement.
- This week, Google Assistant had a problem where instructions were not working properly for smart home users. Google resolved the issue after a few hours, but did not specify what the issue was.
- Gmail is finally receiving some much-needed upgrades. Google prefers that Gmail notifications appear on only one device at a time. At the time of writing, the functionality is in a very limited test run, but let’s hope it works out.
- This week, Google officially released Privacy Sandbox for Android. The goal is to make ad-tracking more safe and private while remaining developer-friendly. It isn’t the smoothest execution, but it should improve over time.
- This week, there was a lot of talk about Windows 11. To begin, Microsoft is testing a live caption feature similar to Android’s, which you can read about here. Furthermore, the most recent version of Windows 11 enables Android app integration via the Amazon Appstore. Finally, thanks to Android 13’s new virtualization capabilities, it is now feasible to run Windows 11 on it.
Paths: Beatrice’s Adventure
Paths: Beatrice’s Adventure is a narrative game in which you select the course of Beatrice’s life. Beatrice is an adolescent with the capacity to possess others. Players sort of guide her through her life and make decisions for her. The outcomes are influenced by the choices made. According to the creator, there are 10 distinct endings to get, and each playtime should take two or three hours.
It’s currently in early access beta, so it’s not completely finished, but you may play the prologue and first chapter for free to see whether you enjoy it.
Related: 10 best Android apps available right now
Kwai Video Editor
Price: Free
Kwai Video Editor is a straightforward and free video editor. It foregoes power user features such as timelines and chrome keying in favour of easier tasks such as chopping down videos, compressing movies, converting films to MP3, transferring videos to other formats, and so on. You may even combine two videos.
It’s not going to replace the genre’s stalwarts, but all of the functionality worked when we tested it, despite the presence of a slew of intrusive adverts.
Basketball Playgrounds
Price: Free
Basketball Playgrounds is a basketball arcade game. It has the appearance and feel of Street Basketball Association, where you play with just half of the court. The controls are straightforward. You use a joystick to control your character and press buttons to perform actions such as pass or fire. However, it is played in the NBA Jam format, with just two players on each team.
There is a gacha aspect in which you acquire players, assemble your dream squad, and annihilate the competition. This one is also under early access, so errors are virtually probably to be expected. Having said that, it’s refreshing to see a quality arcade basketball game on mobile, given there aren’t many of them.
Celebrations Passport
Price: Free / $19.99 per year
1-800-Flowers has released a new app called Celebrations Passport. It’s a gift package app with assistance from a variety of boutiques and stores. You look over each shop’s merchandise and make gift baskets for people. The gift baskets are subsequently shipped to their designated recipient by the provider. It also nearly necessitates a 12-month membership in order to pay for things like shipping and gain points.
You can use the app to buy things even if you don’t have a membership, but it significantly improves the experience if you do. You have the option, however most businesses have their own websites if you wish to avoid this.
Also: The Best Free Games For iPhone So Far In 2022
Zombie Virus
Price: Free to play
Zombie Virus: K-Zombie is a first-person shooter game in which you shoot zombies. Yes, there’s another one of these. The slower pace, a plethora of activities, an offline mode, and the game’s K-Zombie vibes make this one appealing. Of course, the negative is that the mechanics aren’t as polished as FPS games from larger companies, and they may use some work. It’s new, so it has promise, but we understand if this game isn’t for you.
Wrapping up!
If we missed any big Android apps or games news or releases in this list of Android apps this week, tell us about it in the comments
