[Updated] Google Play Store is showing apps rank and available comparable apps to some users.

Today I noticed a few changes in app listings in the Play Store on my OnePlus 5T, changes that are not available yet on my other devices and my wife's Samsung S7 Edge. As can be seen in the screenshot above, the details for the Facebook Messenger is now showing more information below the 'Uninstall' and 'Update' buttons.

Right underneath the buttons, the store is listing comparable apps available, which in this case is Facebook Messenger Lite. In addition, the app size is also displayed and obviously, tapping on that portion of the screen takes you to the download page of the 'comparable' app.

The Play Store is also showing the app ranking. While this may sound minor, it is very useful if you're not sure how popular the app is and this is in addition to the number of downloads to help you decide on whether to download or purchase the app.

Again, these changes do not yet appear on all my devices, so just be patient as it seems to be a server-side change that Google is randomly pushing to devices out there.

Update: After taking another look at this, it appears Google is actually recommending lite and Go apps to users so they know these apps exist. These apps are great for low-end  Android devices or for users living in areas with a poor internet connection.

Periscope lets you select the exact part of a video you want to share.

If like me you're particularly annoyed with having to share an entire video with your friends while all you want to show just is the most interesting part, you will welcome this update from Periscope. As from now on, you won't have to tell the time mark your friends should start watching when sharing.

Periscope gives you control to select the exact part of the broadcast that matters most and share it. Those at the end of the sharing line will see the broadcast start exactly at that point you selected. Unfortunately, there is no way to set an endpoint, a feature which would have been nice too, letting you select from one precise point to another. Maybe we'll see that in a future update.

The update is already live in Google Play Store. Now YouTube, if only you could implement the same feature.

Microsoft Yammer fixes a PDF file viewing issue on devices running Android Nougat with an SD card.

Yammer is Microsoft's social network for enterprises, a platform that lets you collaborate with team members "and stay on top of it all". Microsoft has updated Yammer for Android with a few fixes, no new features this time around.

Microsoft made sure users can view PDF files should their network block the download of such files. They also fixed an issue where users were having trouble viewing PDFs on Yammer on devices running Android Nougat with an SD card. This is no longer an issue and Yammer will now be able to open these PDF files stored on the storage card.

If you use Yammer at work, and if the update has been approved by your system administrator, get it in Google Play Store.

Google brings Smart Resume, Bookmarks and more to improve audiobook listening experience.

Audiobooks are not my thing at all and some attempts to indulge ended with me sleeping after about 45 minutes struggling to stay focus on the voice in my head. Same too when I listen to an unnecessarily prolonged podcast. So, when Google launched audiobooks two months ago, it was a non-event for me. But that does not mean I do not cover any news pertaining to audiobooks if this post is any indication.

Two months after the launch of audiobooks in Google Play, Google is releasing some new features and improvements to enhance the listening experience.

Smart Resume
It's hard nowadays to engage in any activity without some form of interruptions. Well aware of that fact of life, Google is introducing 'Smart Resume'. A feature the company says "will intelligently rewind you to the beginning of the word or sentence when you pick up your audiobook again, so you'll jump right back into where you left off."

Bookmarks
Google is making it easy to save bookmarks that readers can refer back to later. Simply tap the new bookmark icon and you're done.

Routines
Thanks to Google Assistant, readers/listeners will be able to add audiobooks to their 'Routines' to begin listening on their commute by simply saying "Ok Google, tell me about my day". Google Assistant will tell you about traffic, whatever item is on your calendar and continue playing your book.

Speed it up or slow it down.
This update lets users choose their reading pace. If you're a speedster, you can listen to audiobooks at 3x speed to get to the end faster. Or you can slow it down to 0.5x for whatever reason.

Share with Family Library
Depending on the book you're reading and the country you live, you can share audiobooks and eBooks to five family members. This feature is currently rolling out in 13 countries including Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Chile, Mexico, Japan (audiobooks only) and South Africa.

These new features are rolling out today on Android and other supported platforms.

Source: Google

Download: Google Play

Google Maps gets support for 39 languages.

Language barriers can have a negative impact on business or on the use of an app and Google Maps is one such app which needs to cater for the many spoken languages on the planet. With more than 1 billion users using Google Maps, bringing more languages to the app is not only a challenge but an imperative.

And today Google announced the addition of 39 more languages to Google Maps which, according to the company, is spoken by 1.25 billion people worldwide. That is a lot of users and adding that number to current users, Google Maps could quickly reach the 2 billion mark.

Here's the list of the new supported languages: Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Bosnian, Burmese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, Georgian, Hebrew, Icelandic, Indonesian, Kazakh, Khmer, Kyrgyz, Lao, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Mongolian, Norwegian, Persian, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Swahili, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Uzbek, Vietnamese, and Zulu.

Source: Keyword

Download: Google Maps

Instagram is testing a 'New Posts' button on Android that gives users control on their feed. New posts will automatically appear at the top.

Hey Instagram, you're not Apple. Take a minute to digest this fact. The other fact you need to take in is that users are always right and no matter how long it takes, in the end, you have no choice but to bend to users' will - which you call feedback. These changes you made will make users happy and that means more money for you.

In an update that is rolling out today, Instagram is giving users more control over their feeds. Instead of having the feed refresh automatically and take you to the top, Instagram is testing a "New Posts" button that lets users choose when to refresh their feed and go to the latest post at the top of the feed. The social network "...hope this makes browsing Instagram much more enjoyable." We hope so too Instagram.

In addition, and based on users feedback, the new version will make new posts appear first in users' feed. Instagram says, "that with changes, your feed will feel more fresh, and you won't miss the moments you care about."

Thanks a bunch Instagram for these most welcome updates. If you're an Instagram user, grab the update in Google Play Store to take back control of your feed.

Telegram 4.8.5 introduces sticker suggestions and search.

Version 4.8.5 of Telegram for Android is out and the app now makes it easier to discover new stickers. Of all the messaging app I use, none give so much importance to stickers as Telegram does. Except for this time, they are not the one leading the pack. If my memory serves me well, I first experienced emoji and stickers search in Gboard, Google's excellent keyboard app. For the stickers aficionados, Telegram version 4.8.5 brings Sticker suggestions and search.

The other feature in this update is about 'multi-shot sending'. I haven't had time to give this one a shot, but this is how Telegram describes it: "Need a couple of extra selfies to maximize dramatic effect? Dog can't stop doing adorable tricks? Not a problem. Use the new + button when taking a photo to take and send multiple media one after another." So much for Telegram's latest update for Android.

Make sure you grab the update in Google Play Store.

It is now possible to add a description to WhatsApp group on Android.

While all attention is on WhatsApp pledge not to share users' data with Facebook in the European Union, the Facebook subsidiary has quietly published a minor update to its Android app. These new features have been available to beta users for some time and are now making their way to mainstream users.

As I said already, it is a minor feature that will nonetheless make life a tad easier for groups administrators and members alike. WhatsApp added the ability to add a description to a group. This will help users and members quickly know what the topic of the group is. In addition to that, group descriptions are also visible to invitees via the group's link, making it easier to decide whether they want to join or not.

WhatsApp also added the ability to search the list of participants from the group info. To do that, simply tap the 3 vertical dots at the top-right corner of the app and select 'Group Info'. Scroll down to search the list of participants of the group.

The last item in this update is the switch between voice and video calls. WhatsApp makes it easier for users to do the switch with just a tap on the video button while on a call.

That's it for this update. Make sure you update WhatsApp in Google store using the link below.

Download: WhatsApp

Microsoft Outlook for Android supports viewing inline images and opening of attachments in Calendar events.

Microsoft is finally letting users view inline images in Outlook Calendar on Android. Additionally, Microsoft Outlook Calendar also supports opening the attachments or viewing them inline. The software giant says this can be done from the event details.

While this new feature sounds great, in my opinion, it only highlights Microsoft Outlook shortcomings. First, this a long overdue feature. Secondly, the app still does not support attaching files directly in the app on Android. Sure, this can be done in the email part, but it is still not possible to rely entirely on the Calendar section to get things done and not being able to add an attachment to an event on my devices is a bummer.

Hopefully, Microsoft will bring adding attachments to calendar events soon. Until then, grab today's update in the Play Store.

SofaScore added push notifications for soccer goal scorers in big update for Android.

Today SofaScore published a big update to its Android app that brings the app to version 5.51.0 and includes new features that will please soccer and motorsport fans alike. 

As a soccer fan, push notifications is my favorite feature and as I'm not always in front of my TV to watch every game, push notifications on the phone and my Android watch bring me almost every action of the games instantly. Every time a team scores, SofaScore lets me know about it along with the name of the team that scored. In today's update, SofaScore added push notifications for goal scorers, meaning the app will also push the name of the player who scored. This feature must be manually enabled in the app notifications settings. SofaScore says "that if you have notifications for regular "Goals" activated as well, you'll get 2 notifications in short period." The company also said that not all games offer goal scorer notifications.

The 2018 Formula 1 World Championship will begin in 15 days with the Melbourne Grand Prix and it makes sense that SofaScore moved the popular single seater car race to the Motorsport category. I can't wait for the new F1 season to begin and see how it all unfolds in SofaScore.

Here's the complete changelog:

1. Long awaited feature – we have finally added push notifications for goal scorers. Please go to app “Notifications settings” and activate it manually.
   
2. You can now follow Motorsports and Cycling races, receive notifications and have a complete race schedule in Favorites
   
3. Minor, but important change – Formula 1 is now available under Motorsports category!
   
4. Pre-match standings/form is added to event details – quick overview of team’s form, rank, and points before the match.
5. Goal distribution is now visible in “Matches” tab
   
6. Team’s top players' list of ice hockey teams, currently in NHL only but more leagues are coming soon
   
7. Localized “Vavel” news feed for selected tournaments
   
8. Option to change default currency in-app for transfers value, player value, tournament prize money and so on

Download: SofaScore

Google puts Mario in Google Maps to celebrate Mario Day (MAR10).

Someone, someday, declared that March 10 would become Super Mario day thanks to a clever play on words - MAR10 - similar to Star Wars' May the Forth. Since that day, fans around the world celebrate the world most popular plumber and became a huge marketing opportunity for Nintendo to gather the fans around the Mario brand. This year, however, Nintendo is not the only company to take advantage of the plumber's popularity as Google is also joining the celebrations with a treat of its own.

If you launch Google Maps on your device today, you should see a yellow "?" icon next to the Start button. Tap the question mark and you'll get a prompt asking whether you want to enable 'Mario Time'. Once enabled, the usual navigation arrow will morph into Mario in his iconic red kart to guide you around. 

I'm not a Mario fan, but this little treat is a cool way to celebrate Mario Day and it wouldn't surprise me if Google reiterates this on May the Forth. 'Mario Time' will come to users in an update to Google Maps, which I'm not seeing yet on my OnePlus 5T, but Google said that the rollout already started and should be available to everyone during the day.

Happy Mario Day!

And remember to drive carefully.

Download: Google Maps.

Microsoft Launcher Beta lets you set your own custom set of wallpapers and more in latest update.

Today Microsoft has released version 4.7 beta of its Launcher app for Android. This update improves a feature that I particularly like and that is the ability to get daily backgrounds from Bing. In version 4.7, Microsoft is making it possible to create a custom set of wallpapers with photos on the phone.

This new feature is in the Launcher app settings, where users can set "up to 30 images and create a rotation that will refresh your wallpaper every day." The wallpaper rotation can be turned off should you prefer a still image instead.

Here are the other items in the changelog:

·       Set your wallpapers to be scrollable.

·       Badge notifications: Control app notification badges for specific apps.

·       Lock screen calendar notifications.

·       UI adjustments:
> Simplified long press app context menu;
> Support both move & clone when moving apps in app drawer to form a folder;
> Bug fix on feedback & Help page.

Microsoft Launcher beta can be downloaded in the Play Store.

Google Duo now lets you leave 30 seconds video messages when families & friends miss your calls.

I really would like to use Google Duo, really. What's preventing me from doing so is that nobody around me uses it, absolutely nobody. I live in an environment dominated by WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and to a lesser extent, Skype. To make things worse, I've asked ten 'normal users' about Google Duo and they had no idea what it was. And I think Google knows about this and the company keeps trying by adding new features to Google Duo in the hope of getting users to jump ship.

In an update that is currently rolling out, Google Duo users will be able to leave 30-seconds video messages in case the person they're calling does not pick up. "If the person you’re calling declines or misses your call, you can record up to 30 seconds of a video (or voice) message. Once you’re happy with your message, you can send it to your friend or family member, who will receive it in the Duo app." À la Snapchat, the videos will disappear "within a day after you first watch them." However, Google will let you save your preferred videos to your device if you choose to. These video messages are secure and end-to-end encrypted. No worry here if you care about your privacy.

So that's it for this Google Duo update. Check it out in Google Play store.

Source: Google

Apple Music lets users watch videos while browsing the app and listen to music videos in the background.

Apple Music received an update on Android that brings some improvements to music videos within the app. The changelog contains four items, all of them related to music videos, and one of my favorite new features is the ability to continue watching videos while browsing the music app. A Picture-In-Picture (PIP) capability in Apple Music itself. Unfortunately, Apple is not enabling PIP on Android yet. A full-featured PIP on Android would allow users to continue watching videos while using other apps on Android 7.1 or 8 devices.

My second feature is the ability to listen to music videos in the background. Another nice feature which comes in handy when I want to, say, read an incoming email without Apple Music pausing the video.

The other two items in the release notes are:

• Watch them [music videos] in full screen or inside Now Playing.
• Add your favorite music videos to playlists to watch them back-to-back.

Hopefully, Apple will surprise us with full PIP support in a future update. Why not? They're close anyway or so I want to believe. Until then, check Apple Music in the Play Store and enjoy music videos.

Microsoft to roll out Skype to Android low-end devices in the next few days.

Microsoft announced today that they will be rolling out a version of Skype for devices running on Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich to 5.1 Lollipop. According to the latest statistics, Android 4.0.3 still has 0.5% market share, while KitKat and Lollipop have 12.8 and 5.7 respectively. With this update, Microsoft is targeting approximately 22% of the Android market.

The update is not available just yet but will start rolling out in the next few days.  It is, however, available to those who choose to join the Skype Insiders Program.

Microsoft said in a blog post that this optimized version of Skype "is lighter on both disk and memory consumption, allowing for greater speed and better audio and video quality on lower-end Android devices, as well as increased performance in challenging network conditions."

Source: Microsoft

Google Store: Skype Lite

Amazon Shopping now supports augmented reality to visualize products before purchase on supported Android devices.

Back in February, Google launched ARCore 1.0, a platform for building augmented reality apps on Android. To use the AR functionality, you'll need one of these phones, the Pixel lines of devices, Asus Zenfone AR, OnePlus's Oneplus 5, Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+, Note 8, S7 and S7 Edge, and LG V30. Hopefully, Google will make ARCore available to more devices. Now that ARCore is in the wild, we need apps to take advantage of it and, today, Amazon has published an update that adds support for AR to Amazon Shopping for Android.

After installing the update, users of Amazon Shopping will be able to use the in-app camera "to visualize the products" in their living space before adding the product to their shopping cart. All they have to do is to tap the camera icon and select AR view. This feature brings a new shopping experience to Amazon shoppers. See the video below to see how AR View works in Amazon Shopping.

If you own one of the devices listed above, download the update in the Play Store. Now if like me, your phone is not supported, the update will still show up on your device. But again, hopefully, we won't have to wait too long to take enjoy AR capability on our beloved devices.

Twitter introduces "bookmarks", a "read It Later" of sorts.

Twitter announced in a blog post yesterday the introduction of a new feature dubbed "Bookmarks", which will let users save Tweets for later. Say, you came across a Tweet about an interesting article and can't read it right away, simply bookmark it to get back to it later. "Bookmarks" is a sort of 'Read it later' feature, similar to how Pocket app works.

The steps to bookmark a Tweet is made easy with the new share icon under the Tweet. Select "Add Tweet to Bookmarks" and it will appear under the profile icon menu. Twitter says the "bookmarks" are private and can be removed at any time.  The new share icon also lets users share via direct message or to other social platforms, email and messages.

'Bookmarks" are now rolling out globally to any Android, iOS devices as well as Twitter Lite and Twitter mobile website. I have not received the update yet. If you're like me, check Twitter in the Play Store as the update may show up anytime from now.