Recognition: Joe Hindy / Android Authority
Welcome to the 363rd edition of Android Apps Weekly! Here are the big headlines from the past week:
- Parler had a pretty bad week. Google and Apple are removing the app from each company’s app store. Then Amazon shut down the website completely. The reason for the lack of moderation of outrageous content and its role in recent political events. You can click the link to read more.
- WhatsApp updated its privacy policy this week and it’s been a pretty bad move. The new guidelines say WhatsApp will share some information with Facebook. Obviously, users weren’t happy with it. WhatsApp is currently under damage control and many people are recommending Signal as a replacement for it. Click on all the links for all the details.
- Samsung has removed MST technology from its Samsung Galaxy S21 series phones. That means that the best feature of Samsung Pay will no longer be available on their devices from that point on. One of the best parts about Samsung Pay was the ability to use it on terminals without NFC technology. Unfortunately, Samsung has removed this technology from its devices. There is no longer any reason to use Samsung Pay over Google Pay.
- Quibi was one of the biggest failures of 2020. However, it is rising again as a new channel on Roku in 2021. The platform has specialized in short content. You should watch it while you wait in line, while you commute and stuff. Unfortunately, the pandemic wiped out that use case and Quibi went under because of it. Click the link to learn more.
- League of Legends: Wild Rift has a North American release date of March 2021. The game was launched in beta in many countries around the world in 2020, but it wasn’t a full launch. The game will likely be in great demand when it launches as League of Legends is one of the most popular games in the world. We’ll be sure to let you know when it starts.
Newsletter link –
Astracraft
Price: Play for free
Astracraft is a fighting game with heavy crafting mechanics. The players build their little devices of destruction and then fight them with other players. It has a wide variety of pieces as well as a number of attacks. You can use things like holograms, smoke bombs, EMPs, and things like that. The creation mode is very satisfying and you can view your creations in 360 degrees. There are also a number of game modes that range from competitive to goofy for different levels of entertainment. The servers are not fully online yet but it was quite a lot of fun what we saw.
Slopes
Price: Free / $ 4.99 per month / $ 39.99 per year
Slopes is a tracking app for snowboarders. You can keep track of various stats including top speed, highest run, highest altitude, longest run and some other stats. It also has a map feature that lets you see where you’ve gone, how far, and how fast. The app also includes a crowd-sourcing element. Other skiers can report piste conditions so you know if you are dealing with packed snow, fresh snow, ice, or other potential obstacles or problems. The app requires a subscription to many of its features, but it can be worth it for snowboarders.
Recognition: Joe Hindy / Android Authority
Gordon Ramsay: Chef Blast
Price: Play for free
Gordon Ramsay: Chef Blast is a block-breaking puzzle game. At least we had hoped for a restaurant simulator, but unfortunately it’s a bit simpler. It works like most block breakers. You align blocks to remove them from the board. Players win after removing that many. Gordon Ramsay is there with some voice overs and stuff. There are recipes to unlock as you play, and Digital Gordon will cook them for you if you want. It’s a fun blockbreaker if you’re into this genre.
Discovery +
Price: Free Trial / $ 4.99- $ 6.99 per month
This is the official app for the new Discovery + streaming service. It includes TV shows from a number of channels including Discovery, Food Network, HGTV, TLC, Animal Planet, and several others. The app is decent and goes well with other streaming apps. It won’t cause you any fuss or confusion if you’ve used a streaming app before. The shows are organized by genre and channel. You can also share up to five profiles with members of your household. Finally, there are things like Chromecast support too. Some users report bugs here and there, but it’s new and bugs should be fixed in future updates. The $ 4.99 monthly price gives you access to ads and $ 6.99 removes ads. Honestly, if you go for it, we’d recommend the $ 6.99 per month option as the ads are really annoying.
Onmyoji: The card game
Price: Play for free
Onmyoji: The Card Game is a new card game based on the universe of the Onymoji MOBA game. Most of the mechanics are pretty obvious. Players collect cards, use them in tackles, and try to beat the other player’s deck. The learning curve isn’t too steep, and it’s not too difficult to learn the game’s various mechanics. It just takes a little practice. The game also features a hero system, a story to play through, a decent number of free items for newer players, and of course online PvP. This could become a pretty popular game.
Thank you for reading! Try these out too:
If we’ve missed any major releases in the past week, let us know in the comments!