Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous two weeks or so. Today I have the official release for the Niagara Launcher, a TikTok app for ATV devices in the UK, and a brand-new release from the National Park Service. So without further ado, here are all of the new and notable Android apps released on the Play Store in the last two weeks.
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Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.
Apps
Niagara Launcher 🔹 fresh & clean
Android Police coverage: Hands-on: The minimalist Niagara Launcher is officially out of beta
New launchers pop up on the Play Store frequently, though most don’t ever gain mass popularity thanks to poor craftsmanship or boring played-out designs. Niagara Launcher is the new kid on the block, and it just hit its first stable release. This particular launcher offers a unique minimal design that arranges all of your apps into a list on either side of your screen that is sorted alphabetically while remaining accessible at all times. You don’t even have to swipe to access it. It’s simply there. This makes launching apps a breeze, even if you have many installed, which is great for power users.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $14.99
TikTok for Android TV
Android Police coverage: Goodbye productivity — TikTok is now available for Android TV
TikTok for Android TV is just that, though it’s only available in the UK, France, and Germany for now. So if you happen to own the latest Chromecast or Sony, Hisense, TCL, Skyworth, Sharp, Phillips, Xiaomi, Panasonic, or Toshiba ATV devices, all while simultaneously living in one of the above-listed regions, then you can jump into this new release. While I’m sure broader support will roll out soon enough, it’s disappointing to see that the Shield TV was left out since it’s one of the more popular ATV devices. Plus, who wants to watch portrait videos on a widescreen?
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
National Park Service
National Park Service comes from, you guessed it, the National Park Service. This is a new and official app for the service, and it offers guides for all 420+ national parks in the US. So if you’re planning to do some camping or exploring this summer, you may want to check out the new National Park Service app. Not only does it offer interactive maps, tours of park places, and on-the-ground accessibility information, you can rest assured the info provided is useful since it comes directly from the organization’s staff and rangers who are inanimately familiar with such things.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Lingvano: Learn Sign Language
Lingvano: Learn Sign Language is a new app designed to help people learn American Sign Language. This release offers useful tutorials as well as an up-to-date dictionary, so whether you want to brush up on the entire language or simply learn a new phrase, this app has the tools to get you there. Of course, it’s worth keeping in mind that you will have to plunk down your cash for a $20 subscription if you wish to utilize every feature in this release, though if you are curious, you’re free to take a look to see if the app suits your learning style.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs ? (unlisted)
Bodyguard is labeled as a social media moderator, and it’s completely free to use while remaining ad-free. So if you’re worried about your little ones seeing things on their social media accounts that they shouldn’t, Bodyguard is here to help. Ideally, the app protects from cyberbullying, hate speech, and toxic content, not that any of these things have been defined. So if you want an AI to scan your family’s social media content in order to remove the haters from you or your kid’s view, Bodyguard will sensor this content, ensuring your bubble will remain unburst.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
ABE Integrity
ABE Integrity comes from Blizzard, and it’s basically a tool for reporting bad behavior at its esports events. Basically, this is an app for players to report issues when competing in Blizzard’s events. So if you’re an esports player that’s had trouble with abuse at past events, now you can easily report your abusers to Blizzard. Of course, the fact Blizzard’s events are so rife with abuse that this app was necessary in the first place makes me wonder what is wrong with Blizzard’s handling of its events. After all, the company sets the tone, and seeing how the company behaves, it isn’t surprising to see why Blizzard’s gaming events are filled with enough abuse to require this app.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
Manufacturer And Tie-In Apps
BofA Insight
BofA Insight clearly comes from Bank of America, and this is essentially a free app for those looking for information on Capital Markets, Equities, Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities. So if you happen to belong to this bank, you should be able to use this resource whenever you like.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Virtoo by LG
Virtoo by LG is a slightly older release, but since we’ve yet to cover the title, it’s worth pointing out. This app connects your phone to your PC through bluetooth so that you can utilize some of your phone’s functions on your PC, such as directly replying to messages. Sadly this app is buggy, and so reviews are relatively low, pointing to crashing problems or that the app simply doesn’t work at all. So here’s hoping LG eventually makes an effort to fix this release, as I’m sure LG users would like to connect their phone to their PC reliably.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
COVID Apps
COVID Defense
While it would appear that new Covid app releases are few and far between anymore, Louisiana has finally launched its very own Covid tracker, and it’s already earned the ENS badge on the Play Store. This means the app indeed uses Google’s API, so it works through bluetooth as you would expect. So if you happen to live in the Sportsman’s Paradise, then this is the Covid tracker you’re looking for.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Live Wallpapers
FLEXI
Flexi is the latest live wallpaper from Maxelus, and as you can see, this release offers a wavy wireframe background where shapes and colors move around to delight the eye. You are free to try this release, though if you would like to utilize all of the app’s customization settings, you’ll have to spend a few bucks to unlock those features.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $1.99
 
Know A Worthy New App? Let Us Know!
If you have an application in mind for the next issue of the roundup, feel free to send us an email and let us know.
Important: there are 2 requirements in order for the app to be considered, listed below.
- the app’s launch date has to be no longer than 2 weeks ago
- it has to be original, ground-breaking, well-reviewed, interesting, fun, etc – the cream of the crop
Now, if and only if the above requirements have been satisfied, fire up an email to this address: [email protected].
1 sponsored placement per week is available (your app would be featured at the top and marked as sponsored) – please contact us for details.
