Welcome to the 527th edition of Android Apps Weekly, where we discuss the latest in mobile news and take a closer look at some of the most interesting new apps and games. Let’s jump right in and take a look at some of the biggest highlights from the last week:
Looking for some new Android apps and Android games to keep you occupied? This week didn’t see any major new apps but there were quite a few games worth highlighting.
- We’ve finally gotten our first look at Gemini Assistant in Messenger. The upcoming feature has yet to officially roll out but that didn’t stop the folks at TheSpAndroid from getting Gemini to work on a beta version of Messenger. The new assistant will be able to help by recommending places, generating code, creating images, and much more.
- Epic Games Store isn’t just heading to iOS in the near future, Epic has confirmed it will also be bringing the same Epic Games Store experience to Android. While there was already a third-party Epic app for downloading games like Fortnite, this new version will be better unified with the desktop and iOS iteration. There are no firm dates for the launch just yet.
- While we already knew the feature was in the works, Google is now finally rolling out its new App Highlights. In brief, this feature uses AI to generate summaries that highlight key aspects of each app in the Play Store. The idea behind the change is that it will make it easier to figure out what an app has to offer, cutting through unnecessary descriptions and other fluff.
- WhatsApp was in the news a few times last week. First, Whatsapp is testing a new feature that lets users post videos that are longer than 60 seconds in status updates. Beyond that, a recent APK teardown also revealed the app may soon allow Android users to transcribe voice messages, a feature that was previously limited to the iOS app.
- A new APK teardown of the Google Messages app reveals several references to Android satellite messaging, indicating a system that will work similarly to Apple’s Emergency SOS. Furthermore, it is expected that this change will roll out with Android 15.
- Google is rolling out a new change to the Contacts app, adding a new Contact Ringtones option that lets you quickly add, change, or delete a contact’s unique ringtone all from one spot. While it’s a small change, it’s still a welcome one that is a bit easier than the current system.
- Not a fan of the new taskbar that debuted back with Android 12L for the Pixel Tablet and later devices like the Pixel Fold? The latest Android 15 preview lets you do something about it, giving you the option to switch back to the classic persistent taskbar. While this probably isn’t a big deal to most of you, I’m happy to see Google still takes customization seriously.
Looking for some new Android apps and Android games to keep you occupied? This week didn’t see any major new apps but there were quite a few games worth highlighting.
