Back in March, the company behind hit mobile game Plague Inc. announced plans to release a free mode that will reverse the usual plot -- players are tasked with stopping a pandemic rather than creating one. The new mode, which will remain free during the pandemic, is now available to download on iOS and Android devices.
Today a massive update for Instagram is in effect. Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram revealed that they'd be making some "big changes" to the platform, focusing on two tabs for all users. One is Reels, the other is Shop. The refocus in Instagram may well change the social network forever.
It's a big week for gaming, particularly for those on the console side of the fence. The Xbox Series X just launched and the PlayStation 5 will soon be shipping to gamers, at least in some countries. When they do, however, new owners will immediately be able to get access to Apple's video app thanks to the promised Apple TV app that is now available from the PlayStation Store. Even better, those with a PS4 won't even have to wait since they can grab the app now as well.
Google Photos is changing how photos and videos count toward your Google account storage, and it's unlikely to come as welcome news for fans of the service. Until now, Google Photos has allowed free, unlimited uploads of "High Quality" compressed images in the cloud; from June 1, 2021, that's changing.
WhatsApp is launching a new shopping button that enables users to find businesses and browse their offerings directly in the app. The move expands WhatsApp for Business, an e-commerce platform similar to what we've already seen on Instagram. The existing voice call button is being replaced by the shopping button.
While Google Maps has definitely helped us navigate the world, some still require more visual cues when trying to figure out where they are or where they're headed. Sometimes, you need those cues even before you get there, which is why Google Street View continues to be a critical navigation tool. Street Views, unfortunately, aren't that easy because of the hardware needed and privacy concerns. Google has apparently figured out a way to address those in an upcoming Driving Mode that simply uses your phone's camera to contribute.
The announcement of Apple's own ARM-based Silicon heralded the next major step in something that Apple's customers both looked forward to but also dreaded. It represented the next phase in unifying Apple's platforms while still keeping macOS and iOS distinct, at least for now. On a technical level, it will be possible to run iOS apps on the next-gen Macs more easily than before. It seems, however, not everyone is on board just yet.
GameStop just announced a team-up with Niantic's Pokemon GO. In the partnership, approximately 500 GameStop store locations will be activated in Pokemon GO as PokeStops OR Pokemon Gym locations. They'll be "becoming part of the real world game board" in November and December of 2020, January and February of 2021.
Microsoft itself doesn't have its own smartphone platform or even its own Android phone outside of the Surface Duo. It has, instead, created ties with Samsung that pretty much treated the latter's high-end flagships almost like its own. This preferential treatment can be clearly seen in the Your Phone app, which continues to gain notable features exclusive only to a few Samsung Galaxy devices. Its latest trick is to pretty much run as many Android apps you want on your Windows 10 desktop.
While Apple continues to forbid game streaming services from setting up shop on iPhones and iPads, some are finding ways to work around those limitations. One rather ingenious attempt to bring Google Stadia to iOS was, as expected, short-lived. Stadium, that browser-based workaround, was removed from the App Store last month after having been available there for a month. Now Stadium has returned but in a slightly different form and with one important limitation.
It seems Google Photos will get new editing features in an upcoming version, but they may be locked behind a paywall, at least based on reports from some users. The company has been slowly adding premium features to its Photos app, the most recent being a premium subscription feature for getting monthly photo prints.
Apple has informed developers that it is now accepting app privacy information for an upcoming App Store change involving what many refer to as privacy 'nutrition labels.' Put simply, Apple will enable its users to quickly see privacy information about apps before they download them, helping users make informed choices about what they use.