📲 Test #188 - You may need a new email address now

Greetings testers!

Welcome a NEW TestingCatalog summary format!

Now it is a TRUE changelog that you should be seeing instead of "bug fixes and performance improvements" on Google Play.

All updates are sorted in alphabetical order in a Niagara Launcher style so you can skim it even easier than before 🔥

What's New?

• 📲 But what were we testing this week? I highlighted a Google Play release of Nova Launcher 7 that everybody can try already. Even if you are happy with your current launcher is worth looking at.
• 📲 Secondly, now you have a chance to get early access to the Email Protection feature by DuckDuckGo and it is also a chance to get a @duck.com email address.
• 📲 And last, but not least, Google Play seems to be testing a possibility to allow you to install apps to other devices via its Android app. If you have a farm of test devices it may become a handy feature to use.

Top features to try

Nova Launcher Beta 7 got a visual overhaul along with a pack of new features

Nova Launcher is one of the most popular custom Android launchers out there. This time, its beta got a major update to version 7 and it is the first time when it became available via Google Play. This version is built on top of Launcher 3 and it has a

TestingCatalogAlexey Shabanov

Update Highlights:

• Now you can have a weather badge visible on the search bar and you can customize it after the initial installation (or via settings later)
• During the initial installation, you can select to display different search sources like Google or DuckDuckGo. Apart from this, you can also select to have a Google Play option over there so your search query will be passed over there.
• Now your work apps will appear in the dedicated tab as they should.
• Now you can assign custom swipe down gestures to your app icons. To do this, you need to hold on to the icon and tap on the edit button.

📲 Test via Goole Play

Google Play is testing a new Install button where you can select the device as on the web version

As it was reported by @lion60 to ESICA channel, Google seemed to test a new dropdown on the install button in India. There you can select your other devices or install the app on both at the same time. A possibility to select the device was available on the web

TestingCatalogAlexey Shabanov

As it was reported by @lion60 to the ESICA channel, Google seemed to test a new dropdown on the install button in India. There you can select your other devices or install the app on both at the same time.

DuckDuckGo allows users to sign up for its Email Protection beta feature

💌 Email Protection functionality will be able to hide your real email from email trackers. There you will need to get a @duck.com email address and an invitation code from DuckDuckGo. How to get @duck.com email address:Open your DuckDuckGo browser.Tap on Settings.Scroll down to the Privacy

TestingCatalogAlexey Shabanov

How to get the @duck.com email address?

1. Open your DuckDuckGo browser.
2. Tap on Settings.
3. Scroll down to the Privacy section.
4. Tap on the Email Protection option.
5. Tap on the Join the Private Waitlist.

📲 Test via Google Play

A - Android Auto

• Google officially opens Android Auto beta testing program in the Play Store

A - Apple Music

• Apple Music's latest update delivers lossless and spatial audio for 'compatible devices'

C - Chrome

• Chrome Canary 94 is testing a new layout for the tabs page
• Android is getting a home-screen widget for Chrome’s famous ‘Dino Run’ game
• Chrome 92 expands Site Isolation to extensions, more sites on Android
• Chrome 92 rolling out: Android Toolbar shortcut, more efficient phishing detection, & better site controls

C - Clubhouse

• Clubhouse is no longer requires an invite and got backchannels for your text chats

D - Digital Wellbeing

• After debuting on Pixel, Digital Wellbeing’s ‘Heads Up’ shows up on other Android phones

D - Dropbox

• Dropbox adds new file conversion tools and faster camera backups

F - Facebook

• How to set tags for your Facebook group on Android

F - Facebook Business Suite

• How to schedule posts and stories via Facebook Business Suite

G - Google Maps

• Google will shut down ‘Bookmarks’ in September, won’t affect Maps ‘starred’ locations
• Google Maps Timeline adds ‘Insights’ & ‘Trips’ tabs as transit crowdedness predictions expand

G - Google Search

• Google takes measures to guard the searched data, users can remove the history through the "quick delete" feature

I - Instagram

• Instagram released Stories translating feature to everyone
• Instagram Stories Drafts are Now Available to All Users
• Instagram Expands Insights Data to 60 Days, Providing More Analytical Capacity
• Instagram Is Testing A New Co-Author Feed Posts And Reels Feature Called “Collab”

M - Messenger

• Facebook is about to launch ‘Soundmojis’ on Messenger - the talking version of the emojis
• Facebook Adds New Emoji Search Options in Messenger, Space Jam Chat Theme

R - Reddit

• Reddit got new recommendations and allows users to download and share Snoowatars

S - Signal

• Signal beta got a cleaner contacts screen along with a redesigned All Media tab

S - Snapchat

• ICYMI: Snapchat has a Magic Karaoke lens that turns any of your photos into a karaoke video
• Snapchat Launches New 3D Bitmoji, Another Step in its Digital Fashion Push
• HBO Max launches a group watch tool to stream full episodes on Snapchat

T - Twitch

• Twitch is testing free follower emotes in beta with selected streamers

T - Twitter

• Twitter got an easier way to share a link to Space and moved settings to the top
• Twitter Tests New Layout for Images, Considers Adding Limited-Time Tweet Editing
• After Less Than a Year, Twitter is Retiring its Stories-Like 'Fleets' Option
• A sneak peek into the latest developments on the Twitter platform
• Twitter Beta now lets you log in with your Google Account
• Twitter is trying out upvotes and downvotes in its latest beta test
• Twitter might soon let you transform your voice in live Spaces

W - Waze

• Waze prepares to offer Warthog and Ghost from Halo as in-app cars

W - WhatsApp

• ICYMI: WhatsApp got a new UI layout for calls
• WhatsApp beta for Android 2.21.15.5: what’s new?
• WhatsApp is Working on a New Business Directory Feature
• WhatsApp beta for Android 2.21.15.10: what’s new?
• WhatsApp beta for Android 2.21.15.11: what’s new?

Y - YouTube

• YouTube is rolling out the Shorts tab to more users and moving to Explore button to the top
• YouTube started enabling Super Thanks for some creators
• YouTube Adds New Labels and Search Panels to Prioritize Official Health Advice
• YouTube rolling out ‘New to you’ feed with videos outside of your normal recommendations

Y - YouTube Music

• YouTube Music for Android loses ‘Offline Mixtape’ app shortcut

Games

• Punishing: Gray Raven is a gacha action RPG with graphics that actually impressed me
• The real Yu-Gi-Oh! card game is coming to Android soon, along with a second title
• There's a new XCOM game coming to mobile, and it's already in testing
• Gotta Kill 'Em All: The Witcher's take on Pokémon Go is now available on Android
• Genshin Impact 2.0 brings cross-save functionality along with a brand new region, out now

Other apps

This section is designed for apps with rare updates that cot featured in the news this week 👇

• ICYMI: Buy Me a Coffee platform has an Android app and it is available in beta too
• Pocket Casts was acquired by WordPress․com owner Automattic with a focus on ‘deep integrations’
• Tumblr starts letting bloggers charge a subscription
• S2 Music Player is a ground-up rewrite of Shuttle with a new design
• Carrot Weather now reports the likelihood of human survival

TestingCatalog project

Yes, I've changed the style of this newsletter again. However, the content is the same and I honestly hope that you will enjoy this format more. The main idea is to build a weekly comprehensive changelog with the most used Android apps that got covered in the news.

Alphabetical order should be the most straightforward to get used to.

What's next? Now I will really need some feedback from you!

Is it better than before? Is it easier to read? What do you think can be improved here?

Happy Testing!