Because of its open-source nature, Facebook has used Google's Android as its main breeding ground for experimental new mobile features and ventures. The introduction of Facebook Home / Chat Heads update, for example, brought a neat, integrated launcher that combined the social company's own IM service with the native Android SMS app. Such improvements appear to have been rolled out at the expense of enhancing the official Facebook app for Android, which has been left looking rather unkempt and in need of a visual makeover. An overhaul is on the way, though, and if you're willing to jump through a couple of hoops, here's how you can enable the new-look UI right now on your device.
Facebook's commitment to mobile has undoubtedly been questionable in the past. The purchase of Instagram and subsequent acquisition of WhatsApp has proved that Mark Zuckerberg's social network definitely sees native mobile experiences as of paramount importance to the company's immediate future. However, it's the continuing development of the Messenger app that manages to convince us that the small screen is extremely important to Facebook. It's only been a matter of days since Messenger was updated with a powerful group management system, but version 4.1 for iPhone and Android is already here, bringing with it the introduction of unlimited free voice calls via a Wi-Fi connection.
No matter what brand of smartphone we pledge our allegiances to, we're all united in the battle against waning battery life. We've all been caught out with a quickly-depleting battery at a time when we desperately need our devices at hand and switched on, and while placing a device into airplane mode does work wonders, it also completely disconnects us from the world. A neat Android tweak called Auto Pilot Mode will throw your device into airplane mode when your signal is down, intermittently checking to see if cellular data has been restored before deactivating airplane mode once again.
BlackBerry has just released a rather substantial update to the iOS and Android versions of its famed BBM app, bringing stickers, group photo sharing, and other such niceties. A full run-down of the enhancements, as well as the all-important download link to both the iOS and Android editions of BBM 2.1, can be seen below.
It seems that someone at Facebook likes nice round numbers, because the social network has released Facebook Messenger 4.0 for iPhone and Android. Big new updates are great, except when they're not big at all, which is certainly the case with Facebook Messenger. See, the app has seen its version number bumped to the lofty number of 4.0, but do the changes warrant a new point-0 release? Probably not, no.
As expected, Microsoft finally unveiled its famed Office app for the Apple iPad earlier on today at a special keynote, and while this is an addition that will doubtlessly be welcomed by scores of iPad users far and wide, there's also some good news for smartphone-based Office users. As of now, the app is not only free to download, but those using Office Mobile for iPhone and Office Mobile for Android can create, edit and save Office documents on their handsets for free - no Office 365 subscription required.
The next-gen HTC One is scheduled to be announced by the Taiwanese company later on today, and in anticipation of the launch, some of the new Sense 6 apps have just been released to the Google Play Store. Further details can be seen right after the break!
Android KitKat 4.4, introduced by Google late on last year, brought with it an abundance of useful features, but due to the fragmented nature of the ecosystem, not everybody on Android has been able to enjoy its numerous perks. In fact, only a very small fraction of the Droid-wielding faithful have tasted the chocolatey, delicious new flavor, but thanks to the dedication of a wider community, those on older firmware needn't miss out on all of the new features. The Immersive Mode, for example, turns the process of using any one of you favorite apps into a full-screen experience, and now, thanks to a third-party app, you don't need to be on KitKat 4.4 to take advantage.
Having announced the Moto 360 straight after Google showcased its new Android Wear OS, the company made a strong statement of intent as far as the smartwatch market is concerned. Not only does the former Google subsidiary wish to make its mark on this evolving area of mobile space by being among the first to release a wearable gadget running on Android Wear, but it has come up with a very attractive product in the process, and if you wish to check the Moto 360-ready version of the Android Wear OS, an APK has now surfaced that allows you to emulate the experience on your Android device.
Apple and Game Center has long since facilitated multiplayer gaming for those running iOS devices, and thanks to a recent update, Google Play Game Services will offer something similar to those rocking iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. What's more, as well as allowing gamers to compete against each other on iOS, developers integrating Google Play Game Services into their titles will enable players to compete cross-platform with users on Android, outlining the search giant's intention to expand and improve the online capabilities of the Play Store.
