Welcome to the 478th edition of Android Apps Weekly. Here are the big headlines from the last week:
- Google is making changes to Android in India following a variety of rulings from the Indian government. Changes include how Android approaches sideloading apps, app stores, user-choice billing, default apps, and more. These changes may find their way into other markets, so it’s worth noting.
- Google is introducing a new Perspectives feature in Google Search. The idea is to help fact-check stories using a variety of journalists, experts, and other sources. Of course, this is a little dubious since the media often causes misinformation, but hopefully, Google acts responsibly in this case.
- Spotify introduced a new Niche Mixes playlist feature this week. It lets you create a playlist using only a few words. The mixes are updated daily, pretty easy to create, and are available to both free and premium users. Hit the link to learn more.
- Google shut down Fitbit Challenges and Adventures features this week, along with the Open Groups social feature. This ends a few of Fitbit’s gamification features, but it does simplify the Fitbit experience quite a bit. You can read more about it at the link.
- Twitter wants you to pay for more features. The platform is adding For You algorithm placement to its list of premium features with Twitter Blue. That means you won’t show up unless you pay for it. Elon Musk says this is to combat the bots, but the reception to the news was understandably icy.
Avatars Saga
Price: Free to play
Avatars Saga is a mobile MMORPG with gacha elements. You run around the game’s open world, slay bad guys, and progress the story like most other MMORPGs. You can also get additional characters to play with through the game’s pull system. You’ll also find the usual array of MMORPG staples like pets, mounts, guilds, and team bosses. It’s early days, so there is still a lot we don’t know. It seems to have potential, though.
SparkReceipt
Price: Free / $5.49 per month / $54.99 per year
SparkReceipt is a receipt scanner app specifically for individuals and small businesses. The idea is that you digitize your paper receipts for easier bookkeeping and tax prep. On top of the scan feature, you can manually enter details that the app may have missed. You can do the usual stuff, like see previously scanned receipts. Some other features include collaboration features, document scanning, and more. It’s reasonably decent, if a bit new. Like most, there is a subscription that unlocks more features.
Brotato is a top-down shooter with some roguelite elements. You pick a character, drop into the game, and shoot as many bad guys as possible. The game includes auto-firing, manual aiming, over 30 characters to choose from, and a plethora of weapons and items to use to aid in your quest. Unlike most games, this is a premium game, so there are no in-app purchases to muck up the game. It’s simple, it’s fun, and you can even play it offline if you want to. There is also a free version, but it seems to be in pre-registration.
Reelsy Reel Maker
Price: Free
Reelsy Reel Maker is a video making app specifically for social media. You can use it to make Instagram Reels, TikToks, or whatever else you want. It has over 100 templates to choose from, trending audio from various social networks, and more. This one is still on its first release so it’s not very stable. We believe the developer will improve it over time to make it an actually usable app. For now, we say skip it, but circle back eventually once some of the bugs are worked out.
Voice of Cards: The Beasts of Burden
Price: $11.99 + $4.99
VoC: The Beasts of Burden is the latest game from Square Enix. It’s inspired by tabletop RPGs. Essentially, it’s a game where you defeat monsters and trap them in cards. You then use the cards to summon monsters during combat. The game takes place on a board game-like world where you move across. Combat also looks like a card battle. It’s not quite as animated or as flashy as other card battlers, but the darker tone is part of the charm. This one is quite good, and it’s Square Enix’s second excellent release within the last month.
If we missed any great new Android apps or games, tell us about them in the comments.
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