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

Welcome to the 411th edition of Android Apps Weekly. Here are the headlines from the last week:

• Pixel owners had a fun surprise this last week after their phones told them about a storm in the Philippines. It’s funny because most people who received the alert don’t live anywhere close to the Philippines. The alert took people to a Google Search to learn more information. We hope everyone in the Philippines is okay.
• YouTube TV is having a rare setback this week with its Disney channels. The agreement between the two media giants ends on December 17th and a new agreement hasn’t been signed yet. Thus, YouTube TV customers are going to lose Disney channels on that day. There is a silver lining. YouTube TV intends to lower prices by $15 if a new deal isn’t reached.
• The UK joined the list of countries that don’t like how Google and Apple are doing things. The Competition Markets Authority has criticized both companies for the overwhelming control of both company’s app stores. Additionally, the CMA says both companies need to make it easier to switch platforms without trouble. You can hit the link to learn more.
• WhatsApp now lets you preview voice notes before sending them. We don’t know why this wasn’t a feature previously but at least it’s there now. There isn’t much else to it, but the company did announce it on social media. It should come in a future update sometime soon.
• There is allegedly a Google Pixel Watch and some of its alleged watch faces leaked this week. The leak shows ten total watch faces tucked away in an APK. There is also evidence to support that there is direct Fitbit support. We don’t know much about it, except that these watch faces will see the light of day one way or another. Hit the link for more details.

Downhill Smash

Price: Free to play

Downhill Smash is the latest game from ZeptoLab, developer of Cut the Rope. The game is pretty simple. You roll a boulder down a hill and destroy everything in your path. It’s a fair bit more violent than other games from ZeptoLab, but it’s not crazy. The game has a decent amount of unlockable stuff to roll down hill and kill zombies. It also uses physics-based gameplay so you control how it rolls down the hill. It’s a fun little arcade game to pass the time.

TikTok Seller

Price: Free

TikTok Seller is a new app from TikTok. It’s for creators to help them manage their TikTok Shop. We didn’t get to test this one because the app is only available in Indonesia. However, according to the app description, the app lets you register as a seller, manage your products, manage your orders, and manage stuff like returns and refunds. It should be a helpful tool once it sees a wider release.

Alien: Isolation

Price: $14.99

Alien: Isolation is the latest game from Feral Interactive, developer of the very excellent GRID: Autosport along with ROME and Tropico. The game takes place in the Alien series universe and it follows the story of Amanda Ripley. She learns about a flight recorder from her mom’s ship and embarks on an adventure to find out more. It’s definitely a horror game where you explore while also trying to survive. The graphics are quite good and the controls are excellent for a mobile game. It’s pricy, but it’s actually quite good. You should also check the supported devices list in the Google Play listing to make sure your device works with the game.

Brainstorm: Creativity Trainer

Price: Free

Brainstorm: Creativity Trainer is an app for brainstorming ideas. You basically come up with a problem and then a bunch of potential solutions to the problem. The app keeps track of that stuff in a fun and colorful way so you can think about your ideas. It’s a bit of a niche app, but it’s useful for stuff like Christmas shopping or figuring out what to do for an event. It’s not terribly different from note-taking apps where you can do basically the same thing, but sometimes it’s nice to see it in a different way.

Dynasty Origins: Conquest

Price: Free to play

Dynasty Origins: Conquest is a strategy game with a gacha element. Players obtain heroes and then use them to fight opponents. There is a heavy emphasis on the strategy part thanks to things like hero synergies and things like that. It makes it possible to beat higher-level players if your tactics are better. There is a slight pay-to-win element, but as with all free-to-play games you can usually get most of the best stuff with patient and persistent grinding. It has a lot of potential for its genre.

If we missed any great Android apps or games news, updates, or releases, tell us about it in the comments.
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