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Tech News
Conversations, the federated Android messaging app launched in 2014 by its solo developer, is ending its paid Google Play Store distribution model. The developer says Play Store sales had served as a steady, dependable income stream for over a decade, supplementing project-based development contracts, consulting work and grants.
Google has rolled out a Play services update that lets many Android 12+ phones show their IMEI number on the lock screen alongside emergency info like contacts and medical details. The feature is optional and can help prove ownership if a device is lost, especially as newer phones like the Pixel 11 series drop physical SIM trays that once displayed the number.
F-Droid, the open-source Android app repository, released version 2.0 with automatic update installation and a unified installer that leverages a new pre-approval API enabled by EU Digital Markets Act rulings against Google. The release comes as F-Droid displays a banner warning users about Google's upcoming developer verification requirements, which could restrict distribution of unverified apps on Android devices.
Google has published a Play Store listing for its Create My Widget app, first teased at I/O 2026, showing how it will work on Android phones and Googlebook laptops. The app lets users generate custom widgets using natural-language prompts processed by Gemini, with preset categories like combo widgets, weather alerts and daily briefs as starting points.
The developer behind PokerNexus built a custom shortlink service at go.pokernexus.com/app that detects a visitor's device and routes iPhones to the App Store, Android phones to Google Play, and all other devices to the website. The system uses a lightweight Hono-based server and a browser-based QR code generator that boosts error correction to level H so a logo can sit in the code's center without breaking scans.
Teardown of Google Play Store version 53.2.23-34 reveals an in-progress 'Your creations' section under the app's 'Manage apps & device' screen, intended to surface apps users build with Google's AI Studio vibe-coding tool. Currently, tapping the feature's 'Try it now' button opens a browser to the mobile AI Studio site rather than a native experience.
Discord says it is now automatically sorting accounts into age groups using signals like account age and server membership, rather than message content, meaning over 90% of users won't need to verify their age. Adult accounts see no change, while teen accounts (13-17) retain core features like messaging and voice calls but are blocked from age-restricted content and settings. Users who need to confirm their age can now do so via methods like credit cards, app store age-sharing, Google Wallet, or AgeKey, without submitting an ID or selfie.
Ahead of the October 4 launch of Google's new Googlebook laptops, Android Authority managed to install and run the platform's first-party Text editor app on an Android phone and tablet. The app supports extensive syntax highlighting for languages including Python, JavaScript, Kotlin, Java, C++, Rust and Go, plus a find-and-replace tool, and adapts its layout to make better use of larger tablet screens.
Adobe has released its Premiere video-editing app for Android devices, roughly a year after it debuted on iOS. The free app includes a multitrack timeline, templates, transitions, and generative AI tools powered by Adobe's Firefly models, with some AI features requiring a subscription once free credits run out.
Adobe has launched its Premiere mobile app for Android, more than a year after debuting it on iOS. The free app offers core editing tools like trimming, speed adjustment, text and audio layers, plus unlimited watermark-free 4K exports, while generative AI features such as sound effects and Firefly assets require purchased credits.
Adobe released its Premiere mobile video editing app on the Google Play Store, extending a tool that debuted on iOS last year. The free app supports a range of Android phones, including foldables like the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 8, allowing editing in both open and closed configurations.
Google's Play Services v26.37 update, released September 21, extends the Motion Assist feature beyond Pixel devices to any Android phone running Android 17 or later. The tool displays small visual bubbles along screen edges that move in sync with a vehicle's motion, using the phone's sensors to help reduce motion sickness. Users can customize the bubbles' appearance and choose automatic or manual activation.