Apps
Microsoft launching its own app store on Android, iOS
Microsoft will launch its mobile game store on Android and iOS in July 2024. The company confirmed that popular games like Candy Crush, Minecraft, and more will be available in the forthcoming app market.
Sarah Bond of Microsoft announced at the Bloomberg Technology Summit that its mobile game store is launching in July. The company has been working for a long to bring a dedicated Microsoft app store on both popular mobile OS.
However, the official revealed that the Xbox game store for mobile will not be coming as a native app. Microsoft will offer the store worldwide on “all devices” as it will “start on the web” to comply with Apple’s requirements.
Sarah Bond, @Microsoft’s Xbox president, announced at #BloombergTech that the company will launch its own mobile game store in July, creating an alternative to Apple and Google’s app stores pic.twitter.com/hj6eLtsGfl
— Bloomberg Live (@BloombergLive) May 9, 2024
The launch of Microsoft’s web-based Xbox game store will pave the way for other firms too. Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store are native app markets, which may surely face competition due to the arrival of dedicated stores.
Bond explained:
In July, we are going to be launching our mobile store experience. We’re going to start, actually, by bringing our own first-party portfolio to that. So you’re going to see games like Candy Crush show up in that experience, games like Minecraft. And then we’re going to extend that capability to partners so that they can take advantage of it and have a true cross-platform gaming-centric mobile experience.
We’re going to start on the web, and we’re doing that because that really allows us to have it be an experience that’s accessible across all devices, all countries, no matter what, independent of the policies of, you know, closed ecosystem stores. And then we’re going to extend from there.
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Apps
Google Maps lets you report traffic jams and accidents on Apple CarPlay, but not on Android Auto
Google just added a feature that lets you report accidents, slowdowns, and other road issues directly from your car’s display. Well, it is currently limited to Google Maps on Apple CarPlay.
Similar to Waze, Google Maps on CarPlay now has a button to report accidents, slowdowns, construction, lane closures, stalled vehicles, objects on the road, and even speed traps. Just like before, you can still see reports from other drivers about these issues on your route.
By reporting issues, you can help other drivers avoid traffic jams and accidents. With everyone contributing information, Google Maps can provide more accurate traffic conditions and ETAs.
Unfortunately, Android Auto users are still left out. We’ve been asking Google to add this feature for a while now, so hopefully it’s coming soon!
This feature is new and might not be available to everyone yet. In the meantime, stay safe on the roads and report any issues you see on Google Maps if you’re using CarPlay.
Google Photos app is about to take your video editing a step further. A hidden feature found in app version 6.90 hints at an upcoming video speed editor (via Android Authority). This means you’ll be able to ditch third-party apps and adjust video playback directly within Google Photos.
The video editor offers various speeds like 1/4x for super slow-mo or 4x for fast-forwarding. You can even choose to adjust the entire video or just a specific section, perfect for highlighting key moments. It’s still under development, so expect a more user-friendly icon instead of the current “1x” placeholder.
Additionally, future updates might allow you to fine-tune the speed of different parts within the same video for even more control.
This upcoming video speed editor marks a significant upgrade for Google Photos, making it a more comprehensive video editing tool. Keep an eye out for this update to add some fun and flexibility to your video editing experience.
Contacts app’s version 4.35 suggests that Google is working on a Besties Widget. The app’s forthcoming Besties Widget has the exact layout as the Favorite widget and shows starred contacts.
9to5Google spotted that Google Contacts for Android will soon get a new Besties Widget. Meanwhile, the APKTeardown has not revealed the functionality or widget design.
It is expected that the new Besties Widget will replace the Favorite widget. As of now, the widget hasn’t reached its functional stage, however, a future update to the app will bring significant development.
It is assumed that the widget’s development is currently in quite early phases. Recently, the Contacts app updated its individual contact widget with the ability to display notifications.
You can download the app from the Google Play Store for your Android device for free.
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