Google will now warn about battery-hungry Android apps
There are many things to consider when installing apps, particularly if there are several similar titles vying for attention. As well as things like range of features, looks and performance speed, power usage is also important to users – and Google agrees.
The company is looking to help improve the overall experience for Android users by warning about apps which can be a drain on a device’s battery. More than this, Google is working to help developers to create apps which are more power-efficient.
You can now install multiple apps simultaneously from the Microsoft Store
Microsoft has very quietly introduced a multi-app installer option for the Microsoft Store. Working in a similar way to third-party package installers, the new feature makes it possible to add several apps to a “shopping list” and then install them in one fell swoop rather than individually.
There are a few interesting things about this, not least of which is the fact that Microsoft has not made a big announcement about this handy new option. Another curiosity is that the option is only available for some users of the web-based version of the Microsoft Store.
Finally! WhatsApp launches official Apple Watch app with messaging and voice note support
After years of requests, WhatsApp is finally, fully available on Apple Watch. The app gives users access to many of the core messaging functions found on the phone version, including reading and responding to chats, recording and sending voice messages, and viewing photos and stickers.
The new app will allow users to check messages, respond with quick replies, and listen to or send voice notes directly through the watch. If you rely on WhatsApp to stay in touch with friends, family or work, you can now use it while on a run, during a commute, or in situations where using a phone isn’t possible.
Google updates Gboard with ability to hide comma and period keys
Android users have a message range of keyboards to choose from, Gboard among them. The beauty of the level of choice is the selection of options and degree of personalization that is made possible.
And it is with personalization in mind that Google has updated Gboard, introducing the option to hide the period and comma keys.
Apple yanks ICEBlock app from the App Store after DoJ pressure
Apple has removed from its App Store, ICEBlock – described as “Waze but for ICE sightings”. The app launched back in April after Donald Trump announced a crackdown on immigration.
ICEBlock provides people with a way to report sightings of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents. The US Department of Justice was among those voicing concerns that agent tracking put people’s lives at risk, particularly in light of attacks on ICE facilities.
The Microsoft Store loses the option to disable automatic updates
If you’re the sort of person who likes to be in control of what happens on your computer – as much as such a thing is possible – you may have disabled automatic updates for Microsoft Store apps.
Microsoft has, without warning or any sort of announcement, removed this option. If you have installed an app from the Microsoft Store, you are now essentially forced to keep the very latest versions of that app installed.
Spotify breaks out of Apple’s payment system stranglehold following court ruling
Moving incredibly quickly after a court ruled that Apple was in “willful violation” of an injunction that ordered it to allow out-of-app purchases, Spotify has updated its app with new payment options. Developers have long been frustrated by Apple’s requirement for purchases and subscriptions to be paid for via the App Store, and Spotify is the first to take advantage of the latest ruling.
The music streaming service submitted an app update to Apple which allows users to start a Spotify subscription or change plans within the app, change plans easily, and avoid Apple’s payment system. Apple has accepted the update, so users in the US now have more flexibility.
Would AI super agents mean goodbye to apps as we know them?
In the Western world, we now have an app for everything. Shopping, banking, gaming, and even controlling the temperature in your home - you name it, there’s an app for it. The iOS app store began in 2008 with 500 apps, yet, now there are over four million apps available across iOS and Android platforms. Each of these apps serve individual needs and consumers have learnt to ignore the digital clutter in favor of app loyalty.
Asia went the opposite way. Instead of narrow-purpose-built apps, they built the 'everything app' long before Elon started dreaming about it with platforms like Paytm, Grab and WeChat. But what would it take for the West to catch up? AI super agents might be the answer to that one.
Google makes it easier to find apps with widgets
A well-designed widget can really enhance an app, helping to make it even more useful; equally, a crappy widget (or a lack of widgets) can completely ruin an otherwise perfect app. Widgets are important, and Google is finally recognizing that fact.
The company is making it easier to find Android apps that include widgets. As well as introducing a new badge to highlight widget-wielding apps in Google Play, Google is also adding the option to search specifically for apps with widgets. But it doesn't end there.
Apple announces new features to help protect children, including a revamped age rating system for the App Store
Apple has just announced a series of new tools, features and improvements that it says will “help parents protect their kids in a way that is designed around privacy”.
One of the biggest changes is an overhaul of the age rating system that is used in the App Store, with the number of categories expanding to five. But this is far from being the only changes Apple is unleashing.
Apps, analytics and AI: 4 common mistakes
The app economy is big business. Apple’s App Store ecosystem alone generated a staggering $1.1 trillion in total billings and sales for developers in 2022. But as users demand more relevant and immediate experiences, often driven by AI, developers increasingly need competitive advantages to stand out.
Real-time analytics, supercharged by generative AI, can provide a critical edge by allowing developers to extract key insights and quickly adapt their apps to reflect changing user expectations. But only 17 percent of enterprises today have the ability to perform real-time analysis on large volumes of data, and adoption remains slow. Meanwhile, even when companies are able to perform real-time analytics, there are several common mistakes that can prevent them from reaping its full benefits:
Apps under attack as cybercriminals target changing use patterns
The frequency of application attacks is rising as cybercriminals continue to prey on the increasing reliance on web, mobile and desktop apps, according to a new report.
Digital.ai's 2024 Application Security Threat Report looks at data about threats identified from monitoring applications under active protection. The likelihood of an app being attacked rose eight percent year-on-year, with gaming apps and financial services apps facing the highest risk of attack at 76 percent and 67 percent respectively.
Organizations plan to invest in 'human-centered' software
A new survey shows that 76 percent of respondents consider building human-centric applications more important than it was two years ago, driven by a combination of business considerations and cultural shifts.
The survey, of over 700 application developers and IT decision-makers, from infrastructure software company Progress shows a gap between intentions and actions, however. 98 percent of respondents say human-centric app development is important, but only 34 percent are currently addressing the issue through tools, training and policy.
How education IT departments need to learn from their students -- It's all in the apps
In the wake of the digital boom that echoed out from the pandemic era, schools have steadily been coming to grips with how to operate in a reality where devices are far more ubiquitous in classrooms than before, and classes are forced to make accommodations for a split between remote and in-person learning. Breakthroughs in classroom management and content filtering solutions have helped keep students away from outside threats, such as harmful online content. Still, one of the greatest threats to any school’s digital safety net comes from within -- the students themselves.
Even before the widespread proliferation of digital tools in classrooms, students have been rapidly becoming more tech-savvy and outpacing expectations and the capabilities of many less adept districts to stop them from getting into trouble. In a study run by Impero Software, 27 percent of students reported they had successfully circumnavigated their school’s internet filtering system.
What is pay per head software and how does it work?
If you've ever been curious about the bustling world of sports betting, you might have come across the term Pay Per Head. Simply put, it's an outsourcing model that allows bookies to offer top-of-the-line sports betting services without the need to invest in designing their own software or betting platform.
Instead, they pay a fee for every active user that they have, hence the name "Pay Per Head."
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