Welcome to the 364th edition of Android Apps Weekly. Here are the big headlines from the past week:
- Parler is making a comeback. The CEO posted a message this week. Apparently, the site will return sometime in the near future. Tim Cook also said the app could return to the Apple App Store if the service improved its moderation skills. Click the link to read it all.
- WhatsApp's privacy policy is still causing a number of issues. The chat app delayed the change because everyone hated it. People flocking to other services basically crashed Signal's servers. It's so bad that the Indian government even asked WhatsApp to reverse its changes. We'll keep you updated, but the WhatsApp thing is a pretty big fiasco right now.
- CBS All Access changes its name. After the change, it will be Paramount Plus. At around the same time, the service will also be introduced in the Nordic countries and Latin America. Everything should happen between February 24th and mid-March, and more global launches will take place later this year.
- There are a few things that come up about possible changes from Android 12 for apps. The first is a new app hibernation feature. The feature basically clears the cache after an app has been put to sleep for rest reasons. We don't know much yet, but more details should be revealed when the Android 12 betas come out. In addition, Google may revise the split-screen mode by allowing users to group apps and launch them at the same time. Samsung phones and some other OEMs already have this feature, but it will be nice to see Android in stock.
- The founder of Pebble launched a new app this week. Beeper is a massive all-in-one messaging app with support for a number of popular services. It has support for Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, SMS, Facebook Messenger, and a few others. It also has support for iMessage, though that part is a bit dodgy in terms of the finer details. Click the link to learn more, and you can also sign up for the beta.
Educate archangels
Price: Play for free
Raising Archangel is an idle game mixed in with an RPG. It's pretty standard in terms of mechanics. They level up characters, they do things in the background, and you earn resources that you can use for further upgrades. The game comes with a range of equipment and other things that aid the process, as well as a PvP mode. It is a little hard to advertise as this is the main way to earn secondary currency in the game. It definitely has some problems, but it's a fun little time killer.
CoreSpecs
Price: Free
CoreSpecs is a nice little tool. The app allows you to view sensor data information from all sensors on your phone. It supports well over a dozen sensors, including the usual things like the accelerometer and gyroscope. It also includes support for heart rate sensors, pedometers, humidity, lights, and other things. Your device must have the sensors for the app to display data for the device. Otherwise, it worked quite well in our tests. There aren't really too many use cases for an app like this, but there is one if you want one.
Dream Score: Soccer Champion
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Dream Score: Soccer Champion is a soccer and team management simulator. Players build their teams, help them win, and improve their teams as the game progresses. There is also a PvE and PvP mode in case you want to test your skills against other players. It offers a comprehensive upgrade path, the ability to define your strategies, and a few other things. It will take you a while to get to grips with all of its features, but it definitely competes well with other soccer simulators on Google Play.
Coloring
Price: Free / $ 5.99 per month / $ 29.99 per year
Colorize is a photo app. It turns black and white photos into photos with color. Users can scan their photos into the app and it uses an algorithm to add color. You can also use images from your gallery if you want. That's basically all the app does. It worked pretty well in our tests too. There is an optional subscription. It allows for unlimited photo conversions, unlimited photo storage, etc. It isn't needed for short projects, but you may want to invest a month and cancel later if you plan to use it frequently.
Princess Connect! Re: diving
Price: Play for free
Princess Connect! Re: Dive is a new gacha RPG. Well it's kind of new. The game was released in Japan in 2018 and was only recently introduced to a global audience. There is also an anime and some other media. The game is like most gachas. There is a strong focus on the story and also on summoning characters to play with. You can upgrade characters, go through the story, and do other things as well. Players seem to enjoy the game's generosity towards its players and the game's cute artwork. It should get pretty popular.
Thank you for reading! Check out these too:If we missed any big news or releases about any Android app or game, let us know in the comments!
