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[Update: Deprecating on April 21] Google Play will let developers earn more money by having users watch ads in exchange for rewards
Google is adding a "rewarded product" feature in the Play Billing Library to let developers monetize their app with video ads in exchange for rewards.
The games category in the Google Play Store is by far the most popular app section on Android. This isn't to say that there aren't many decent regular apps to use; we highlight multiple new releases from our community members each week. However, mobile games just get more attention from developers because of how much money a good mobile game can make when it's properly monetized. Some developers choose to sell their game at an up-front price while other developers have opted for the free-to-play model. No matter which method a developer goes with, Google has now introduced a way for them to make money while also rewarding the user.
[Update: Proper Homepage] Google Podcasts has a basic desktop interface for playback
Google Podcasts has a rudimentary web player that can be found by visiting a direct link to a podcast. This seems to be in early development.
Google has been working to integrate podcasts into their services for a few years now. Back in 2016, we first started to see podcasts in the Google Play Music application. They were given their own section within the application where you could browse, sample, and subscribe to various podcasts. It was called Play Music Podcasts at the time since it was part of the Google Play Music application, but this was later rebranded to Google Podcasts and given its own separate app. Now, we have learned that the team behind the service has been working on creating a desktop interface (which is very basic and seems to be in its early stages at this time).
[Update 3: How to Force] Google plans to redesign the Play Store on Android TV to add video previews for apps
Google is putting additional focus on Android TV with a number of changes to come in the future, including a redesigned Play Store.
Android TV came about when Google was trying to expand its Android brand to as many markets as possible (Android Wear, Android Things, Android Pay, etc.). Some of these have been rebranded but Android TV has kept its branding and it doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon. In fact, Google is happy with how the platform has evolved over the years and application developers seem to be on board as well. Thanks to the increase in developer activity, Google is putting additional focus on its smart TV OS with a number of changes to come in the future.
[Update 2: Live on Play Store] The Android Auto app will no longer be supported in favor of Google Assistant's new driving mode
oogle will no longer be supporting the Android Auto application and will market the Google Assistant's new driving mode instead.
Google announced Android Auto in a time when automobile manufacturers were looking for new ways to bring in more tech-savvy customers. They have been competing with other car infotainment systems from Apple and car makers, but they are making a lot of progress in the area. Google expanded the Android Auto user base by introducing a mobile app that offered similar features for those who didn't have a built-in infotainment system (or one that didn't support Android Auto). However, we have just learned that Google will no longer be supporting this application and will market the Google Assistant's new driving mode instead.
[Update: Coming to the U.S.] The Google Play Points rewards program quietly goes live in Japan
Google has been working on a rewards system called Google Play Points. The program quietly went live in Japan, revealing more details.
It was less than two weeks ago when we published an APK teardown we did on version 11.6.15 of the Google Play Store. These APK teardowns can be quite nice as Google engineers are constantly adding in new features that the company is either experimenting with or waiting to launch in the future. In that teardown, we discovered that Google has been working on a rewards system called Google Play Points that would, naturally, reward you for each item you purchased in the Play Store. Not only was this feature really close to going public, but it is currently live for those who are living in Japan.
Zone Launcher lets you access your apps from any screen with one swipe
Zone Launcher from XDA Junior Member BialyApps, is a launcher that it is there to supplement your current Home Screen solution.
Launcher is a commonly used phrase within the Android community that refers to the Home Screen and the application that lets us launch the other apps and games we have installed. Custom launchers are available in the Play Store that can replace your current launcher and offer unique features, customization options, and more. Zone Launcher from XDA Junior Member BialyApps, is a bit different in that it is there to supplement your current Home Screen solution and give you an additional way to quickly launch certain applications.
[Update: Available now] Hulu for Android is getting offline downloads
Hulu has been in the game longer than the new streaming services and it's finally bringing offline downloads to the Android app.
There is already a thriving TV and movie streaming market right now with companies improving technologies and creating more content to keep up with the competition. Popular choices include Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and the plethora of studio services already on the market. More studio services are being launched this year and even more will launch next year. Hulu has been working to stay ahead of the curve as they have been in the game longer than the newcomers and it's finally bringing offline downloads to the table.
Samsung One UI 2.0 Beta program imminent for the Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus and S10e
Samsung has sold millions of Galaxy S10 series smartphones this year and it looks like a beta program for Android 10 One UI 2.0 is right around the corner.
Google has already released the source code for Android 10 and many of us are looking to OEMs to see when they will begin rolling out updates. We've actually seen a few companies already release their first Android 10 update while others look to be taking things a bit slower. Samsung has sold millions of Galaxy S10 series smartphones this year and it looks like a beta program for these customers is right around the corner. This looks to be starting in South Korea (naturally) but may make its way to other regions in the near future.
[Update: Rolling Out for Everyone] Google Duo audio calling support rolls out for Google Home smart speakers
We have learned that Google is rolling out audio calling support for Duo through Google Home smart speakers and displays.
When Google introduced two new applications to tackle messaging, Allo was for text communication while Duo was there specifically for video calls. It seemed like a good idea at first with Duo being Google's version of Facetime and Allo attempting to break into the messaging ecosystem. Allo had some unique ideas, but the ecosystem was too saturated and, like many other Google services, it was confirmed that it would be discontinued. Duo, on the other hand, has thrived, and now we have learned that Google is rolling out audio calling support for Google Home smart speakers.
Pandora revamps its Android app with an emphasis on personalization
Pandora's latest Android update shows the company is putting an emphasis on personalization. The new update includes a new "For You" tab.
There was a time when the name Pandora was synonymous with the streaming music industry. The company still holds strong brand recognition, but rising competition from the likes of Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play Music, and others have caught the folks behind Pandora off guard. There has been some effort put into improving the streaming service and the latest Android update shows the company is putting an emphasis on personalization. The new update includes a new "For You" tab that is dedicated to showing you a constantly updated feed of audio content (both music as well as podcasts) based on your personal taste.
[Update 2: LG V50S ThinQ] LG teases a follow up to the V50 and its dual screen attachment
LG published a teaser that indicates the follow up to the LG V50 will be revealed with a dual screen at IFA 2019 next month.
A little short of 6 months ago we watched as LG officially announced the LG V50 ThinQ smartphone. It is the company's first 5G smartphone and a leaked render revealed a partnership between LG and Sprint for the launch of the device. Overall, it was looked at as a revamped version of the LG V40 ThinQ with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 chipset and a 4,000mAh capacity battery. This week the company published a teaser for its successor which indicates that the follow up to the LG V50 will be revealed at IFA 2019 next month.
[Update: Android too] Google Chrome adds Password Leak Detection to tell you when your password is compromised
Google has done some work with password protection and continues to push the envelope by adding a Password Leak Detection feature right into Chrome.
The responsibility of keeping accounts secure is generally something a company puts on the shoulders of the user. However, the way passwords are used by the masses have shown that they aren't as secure as they could be. There are entire industries that have been built around this issue (password managers, U2F keys, etc) and we should actually be moving away from the password system entirely. Google has done some work in this area and continues to push the envelope by adding a Password Leak Detection feature right into the Google Chrome browser.
Android Pie with One UI rolls out for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 and Tab A (2017)
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab A were both released in 2017 and are currently getting the Android Pie OTA update with One UI.
While some OEMs have abandoned the Android tablet market, Samsung is keeping it alive with a number of its high-end and mid-range devices. These can be slow to receive updates, but Samsung does eventually pull through and roll out at least one major version update to them. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab A were both released in 2017 and are currently getting the Android Pie OTA update. Not only does this bring the two tablets up to Android Pie, but it also includes the popular One UI design language as well.
[Update: YouTube Music] Waze adds 7 new streaming services to in-app player
Waze has added 7 new audio streaming services. As of right now, this includes Pandora, Deezer, iHeartRadio, NPR One, Scribd, Stitcher, and TuneIn.
Many, many people have long commutes to work. This mostly happens around metro cities where people wake up and start their drive 2 or even 3 hours before they need to be at work. Rush hour traffic can be incredibly stressful (both going to and coming from work) so listening to some music can help make that time go by faster. Last year, the navigation application Waze announced integration with Spotify, one of, if not the, most popular online streaming music services. The team behind the application has had such a positive response from the community about this feature that they have now added support for 7 new streaming services directly in the application.
KNOB Attack exploits Bluetooth spec flaw to spy on device connections
A flaw in the Bluetooth specification allows attackers to listen to encrypted Bluetooth connections. Head on over to read more about KNOB attack.
We're in the middle of a trend right now where more and more OEMs are removing the 3.5mm headphone port. Even Samsung has shed away many of the features that once made the Galaxy Note series so desireable and the 3.5mm headphone port is its latest casualty. This has increased the momentum Bluetooth has had even more and that redirects attention back towards Bluetooth as a desireable attack vector for bad actors. The latest exploit in the Bluetooth specification is called the KNOB (Key Negotiation of Bluetooth) Attack and Android devices that haven't installed August 2019's security update are vulnerable.
Chrome OS 76 stable released with virtual desktops and Android-like media controls
Chrome OS 76 is rolling out to stable with the addition of virtual desktops and media controls which are similar to what we have seen in Android.
Chrome OS has received another stable channel update with the introduction of version 76. The previous version made some major progress in getting Linux support to where it needs to be and this update seems to be focusing more on the desktop platform side of things. Google has been working on Chrome OS 76 for a while now as we have already talked about some of its new changes that had been made. This week version 76 is now available to Chrome OS devices on the stable software channel and two interesting changes are the addition of virtual desktops and media controls which are similar to what we have seen in Android.
Misfit announces the lightweight Vapor X Wear OS smartwatch for $200
Misfit is one of the companies that has found its spot in the Wear OS market and this week marks the launch of its latest device: the $200 Vapor X.
Google's wearable operating system, formerly known as Android Wear, has had its ups and downs since it debuted 5 years ago. At first, we saw a number of major OEMs jump on board and begin releasing a new smartwatch each year. The market proved to not be as lucrative as it was once thought and this is when companies either slowed down its smartwatch efforts or stopped them entirely. This bummed a lot of people out, but it made way for other companies to fill in. Misfit is one of those companies that has found its spot in the market and this week marks the launch of its latest device: the $200 Vapor X.
Huawei P30 series update brings night mode to the front camera
The Huawei P30 series is getting a new EMUI update which, among with other things, adds the Super Night Mode feature for the front-facing camera.
Even though the Huawei P30 and Huawei P30 Pro hit store shelves back in March of this year, the device has still been able to maintain its title of having one of the best cameras on a smartphone to-date. We published our camera review of the P30 Pro a couple of months after release, and the company has continued to improve the experience with OTA software updates. This week the company has begun rolling out a new EMUI update which, among with other things, adds the Super Night Mode feature as an option for the front-facing camera.
Samsung and Xiaomi grew heavily in Europe thanks to mid-range Galaxy A and Redmi phones
Xiaomi continues to expand its presence in Europe. Samsung has been a top OEM in the region for years and both saw some impressive numbers during Q2
Canalys is one of the many companies out there that track global shipments of various products (smartphones included). When articles talk about smartphone market share growth they are typically referring to one of these types of reports. Xiaomi continues to expand its presence in new markets around the world and one major target has been Europe. Samsung has been a top OEM in the region for years and both saw some impressive numbers during Q2 (April, May, June) of this year.
Developers can now add up to 5 tags on their Play Store apps
Android Developers are now finally able to add up to 5 tags to their app for improved discoverability in the Google Play Store.
Getting an application discovered in the Play Store can be a difficult task for developers. Bigger studios can hire someone to improve this, but even that isn't a guarantee and it isn't an option for indie devs. Some developers have gone so far as to add relevant keywords to the bottom of the application description in an attempt to boost the rankings for various search terms. To an extent, this can be classified as keyword stuffing (which is against the Google Play ToS) but now developers are able to add up to 5 tags to their app for improved discoverability.