Andrew Grush / Android Authority
Welcome to the latest edition of Android Apps Weekly, where we discuss the latest mobile news and take a closer look at some of the coolest new apps and games. Let’s go ahead and take a look at some of the biggest highlights from the past week:
- Google Gemini adds support for older versions of Android. Google has updated the Play Store listing for Gemini, extending support to all devices running Android 10 or later. Previously, Gemini was limited to Android 12 only.
- The US government officially signed a law banning TikTok in nine months, due to potential concerns over its ties to the Chinese government. There is one exception: If TikTok’s current owners, ByteDance, sell the platform to a company not based in China, the ban on the app will be overturned.
- ByteDance responded to the US ban on TikTok by stating that it would not sell and would prefer to withdraw from the US market completely. It is more than likely that we are witnessing the start of a long legal fight between the United States and ByteDance.
- The Google Podcasts subscription export tool is finally available worldwide. The new tool is available until July 29. After that, your Google Podcasts data will no longer be available if you don’t export it first.
- YouTube Music has recently received several upgrades that position it as an alternative to Google Podcasts. In a new blog post, the company discussed plans to continue improving its podcast experience on Youtube Music. Unfortunately, users who have switched from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music have so far been unimpressed with the experience.
- Google Wallet has added support for America Express on Fitbit, notification improvements, and many other new features. There are also some new features for using public transportation.
- As promised, Google has added a new Gemini-based summary feature to the Gmail app. The feature will begin rolling out widely over the coming days.
Android Apps Weekly: new apps and games
Looking for new Android apps and games to keep you busy? Last week we actually saw two apps and only three games, but unfortunately this week we had a hard time finding any juicy new apps, so we’ll focus on five new games that are worth checking out.
Crystal Knights
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
Club Rumble
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
Fight with up to 20 players in this unique 3D brawler. You can customize your characters to help them stand out, then jump straight into battle against others online. The ultimate goal is to beat your opponents into fainting, then you pick them up and throw them into the batter. Yes really. It’s a fun game that has a similar vibe to other fun and quirky fighters like Smash Brothers, but with animations and graphics that remind me a bit of Splatoon. Maybe it’s just me. Anyway, I spent about an hour playing this one with my son and he plans to continue playing, so I can safely recommend giving this one a try.
Boxes: Lost Fragments
- Price: Free trial, $7 with purchase
Boxes: Lost Fragments is a puzzle escape game from Snapbreak, a company well known for its games in this genre. At first, you’ll immediately dive into a tutorial with limited information about your character or their situation, just a simple note asking for help. The tutorial is well thought out and the game is easy to understand, although many of its later puzzles prove difficult. The graphics, sounds, and gameplay are all excellent, but be aware that the free version only offers a small taste of the experience. To unlock all three chapters, you’ll need to pay $7, which may seem steep for a shorter game. However, it’s still worth it if you like puzzles reminiscent of classics like Myst, which happens to be my all-time favorite.
Blue lock watercraft
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
Andrew Grush / Android Authority
Bluelock Project: World Champion is an anime-style soccer game similar in style to games like Neo Japan Pro Wrestling or Uma Musume. You spend time doing different types of training for your team and can even take on the role of coach and much more. When you first launch it, you will be asked to update the game to get the rest of the update. Once that’s over you’ll find yourself in for a fun experience, just know that this isn’t your typical FIFA style soccer game, with a much bigger focus on story, character development and even more.
Mystery of the delicious mansion
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
Gamehouse is known for its puzzle management games, including the Delicious series. The latest installment follows the familiar formula: you have to help run and manage a kitchen, but there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes with plenty of secrets to unlock and a big mystery to solve. Who is behind these poisons? It’s up to you to find out. If you’ve played their other games, you should have a pretty good idea of what you’re getting into.
