5 Android apps you shouldn't miss this week! - Android Apps Weekly

Welcome to the 144th episode of the Android Apps Weekly show! Let’s jump right into the headlines from the last week:

• An app developer is being sued just for publishing something on the Google Play Store. The story goes that a patent troll is suing developer Austin Meyer simply for uploading his app to the Play Store because the patent troll apparently owns the patent for the idea of the Google Play Store. It could cost Meyer millions if it goes to trial and will likely have to settle. That sucks.
• App Annie released a report this week that suggests that people will spend $102 billion per year in apps and games in the year 2020. This looks at current trends where the industry has seen sustained growth over the last few years and it’s assumed that more growth is coming. That’s a good news for app and game developers and that means it’s good news for consumers as well.
• The rumor mill began circulating this week that Google is going to change their policies to let developers keep up to 85% of their subscription prices. This matches a similar initiative by Apple except Google’s change would take place immediately whereas Apple requires developers to keep their subscriber for one year before the change. This will likely encourage more subscriptions moving forward, for better or for worse.
• Stitcher, the popular podcast platform, was purchased this week for $4.5 million. The buyer, E.W. Scripps, already owns a podcast advertising platform. The popular theory is that the acquisition was to create a service that allows for ads and podcasts together, instead of relying on ads to go on different networks. We’ll see how that turns out in the coming months.
• As it turns out, ISIS have active developers creating apps for ISIS members. Reports this week are that counterfeit apps are being distributed that are aimed to put malware on terrorist phones, likely to spy on them. In this hilariously ironic twist of fate, the terrorists are now worried that people are spying on them through their phones. You can’t make this stuff up.

For even more Android apps and games news, don’t forget to check out this week’s newsletter by clicking here! We have a ton of information there that we didn’t have time for here. If you’re so inclined, you can sign up for the newsletter using the form below and we’ll send it to you every Sunday. For even faster updates, check out the Android Authority app!

[Price: $4.99]
Skater is a new game that allows you to skateboard using your fingers. The gameplay features a more or less empty skateboard with a pair of shoes on them and your goal is to use your fingers to control the board’s movements. It’s not an altogether different idea than True Skate, but this one doesn’t feature in-app purchases. There are a ton of boards, tricks, and plenty of locations to play around with. It does have a few bugs here and there so do beware of those, but at least keep this one on your radar.

[Price: $0.99]
Flamingo Beta is a new Twitter application that, unlike many third party Twitter apps, wants to keep things simple. It features some very slick Material Design and you can theme the application by choosing the various colors. You can sign into multiple accounts and individually theme each account which is kind of awesome. It is in its early stages which means there are bugs that need to be worked out, but it’s a solid experience overall.

[Price: $2.99]
Lifeline: Whiteout is the latest in a very successful and highly rated franchise of text-based RPGs. This one takes place in a winter wasteland where you’ll help a man survive, guide him to safety, and help him find his identity. This game is entirely text based which means it can be run on virtually any device and even features notifications when it’s time for your next move. The Lifeline series has been highly regarded and anyone interested in text-based RPGs should check it out.

[Price: Free]
Boomerang Notifications is a nifty little application that allows you to manage your notifications a little bit more than you can in the notification shade. It runs in the background and you can get quick access to it from the notification shade. This one allows you to set notifications to show up later, set reminders for when you need to deal with notifications, and you can choose which apps that Boomerang will show. It’s something a little different, although its usefulness will depend on your specific needs. At the very least, it’s completely free.

[Price: $4.99]
Goat Simulator Waste of Space is the latest game in the Goat Simulator franchise. It features all of the kooky, goofy, and unbelievably unrealistic behavior as the prior games, except this one takes place in space. You’ll be able to headbutt people and take their money, build some fun stuff, and, according to the developers, it features the largest map out of any Goat Simulator game. It’s $4.99 which is a bit expensive, but there are no in-app purchases.

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If we missed any Android apps or games news, tell us about it in the comments! This is an update of a formerly written article, so check the comments for some suggestions from our readers!