Action Launcher developer Chris Lacy is celebrating the release of its 50th version with some very impressive feature additions and the main shift in the app’s business model that will provide more premium features to each user especially for the ones who nominally can not pay for them.
Wit the 50th version of Action Launcher more of Action Launcher Plus features will be available to every user. Though how many will be dependent on market based on two factors whether in-app purchases are available and if Action Search is able to generate affiliate revenue from Bing. In this model, half of the features are free in most commercial markets including US and Canada. In the regions where in-app purchases are blocked Mexico and India, for example all the Plus features will be made available if the users enable Action Search. If you have not had a reason to try or even come back to Action Launcher in a while v50 might be it. This application can be launched from Play Store.
YouTube Music has got a better way to browse ‘Mixed for you’ playlists
YouTube Music suggests better songs as well as playlists to its users than Spotify and Apple Music but it is getting better on Google owned music service. The streaming platform is only one of the few in the arena that allows you to pick music based on your mood like Focus, Workout, Energy and Chill etc right from the home screen. But you still have to select one of the moods in order to get the appropriate playlist recommendations.
The Mixed for you carousel on YouTube Music’s home feed now features ‘More’ button in top-right corner that takes you to whole new page where you can see mixes for all the moods under single umbrella in a very clean grid view which is lot easier to scroll through than before. In the past, you can only view mixes for the mood that you have selected so the new change works in a better way for discovering the playlists. The updated carousel has come out for Android, iOS and web apps.
YouTube Music adds shuffle controls to its new recommendations
In Android 11 we have seen a centralized hub for media control that is inside notification dropdown and now recently we have seen a smarter use of that place with the addition of playlist recommendations that you can tap on a whim you can get listening without opening the app. It now looks like YouTube Music is working for expanding on these outside-the-top controls.
The new music suggestions panel of YouTube Music now shows some extra options. The first one is shuffle button and you might require to squint a bit to see it right now because of an apparent visual bug. There is another playlist shortcut but instead of being recommendation, it lets you to access to your offline mixtape easily. You can access the options from your notification shade or even your lock screen without requiring to open full YouTube Music app saving you some taps. Both these options sit in the same place as the recommendation shelf currently does. If you have not seen the recommendation shelf on your phone yet then the chances are you will see it with these two options as well whenever it will come out to your device.
YouTube Music is looking to add recommendations to your phone’s lock screen
YouTube Music may have not been received well after the poor transition of Google Play Music but it is now shaping up to be competitive entry to music streaming market that you can get most out of. The service is adding new features, more music, revised designs and now YouTube Music has been spotted working on automated recommendations more front-and-center than before with some more music suggestions appearing in the media player area in the notification shade and also on the lock screen.
Music recommendations are starting to surface for the people on Android 12. They only show up when connecting with audio devices with Bluetooth or USB-C port, suggesting some playlists for you to dive into. The card makes it pretty much clear that the content is coming from YouTube Music with a YT Music label and the logo of the app appearing in the left and three suggestions visible on the right-hand side. YouTube Music has also started rolling out its personalized “Recommended radios” more widely. The playlist started rolling out in February for some and just now it has made its way in more phones.
Snapchat’s new paid subscription could allow you test exclusive features before anyone else
After Twitter and Telegram, Snapchat is also introducing the subscription. The company is working on introducing the paid premium service which may give access to pre-release features and various other premium options. It might be known as Snapchat Plus and may cost about $5 per month.
Snapchat is currently in the initial stages of testing of its subscription. The company is planning to use it to share some exclusive and pre-release features with our subscribers and learn more about how to serve our community efficiently. According to an app sleuth Alessandro Paluzzi there are more features in the app code that are under testing at the moment. According to him, Snapchat Plus subscribers will receive publicly visible badge on their profile page like Telegram Premium offers. The new features include the option to pin a friend as your number 1 BFF, how many friends have rewatched your story and to get access to exclusive Snapchat icons for your phone’s home screen. There will also be option for your best friend’s whereabouts from last 24 hours.
The auto-echo removal feature of Google Meet is getting better
While there are many workers who have been forced back into the office buildings but there are still some people are are working from home. Google Meet might not be essential tool as it was more than two years ago but the development of the features designed to make the meetings more enjoyable is not slowing down. For some Workspace customers, auto-echo removal is going to be a lot better.
Now Google Meet is going to be equipped with de-reverberation and it has been designed to automatically remove the noise picked up by your microphone from sound bouncing around your environment. If you are not present in the room that is filled with pads of acoustic foam than you sound will echo around the space. With the latest update, Google Meet will do its best to remove the frustrating sounds. It is a simple update but it could prove very handy. If you are recording a podcast remotely and you have a guest calling in to join the show, Google Meet’s de-reverb effect could bring their audio quality up to par with other participants.
Telegram is going to launch a Premium Version with Extra Features
Telegram is planning to launch premium tier with some extra features which are similar to Discord Nitro or Slack Pro. This tier will be called Telegram Premium and it is confirmed to launch at the end of this month. All the features which are free at the moment will remain free for everyone. Telegram has announced that free tier will be equipped with new features as well but it has not revealed what we are getting.
Telegram executive has not shared the details on Telegram premium but has said that it will let anyone to acquire additional features, resources and speed. He has also said that it will allow the users to support Telegram and be the first one to get the new features. Free users will benefit from Telegram premium indirectly like viewing extra-large documents sent by Premium users, saving the media and stickers or using their premium reactions for themselves.