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More info about the upcoming standalone OnePlus Buds app surfaces
A dedicated companion app could land sooner than later
OnePlus’s first truly wireless Buds do look like AirPods knockoffs, which even got them into trouble recently, but their price-to-performance ratio was pretty much on point. One of their bigger caveats is that you need a OnePlus phone even for basic customizations, leaving out a big chunk of non-OnePlus users. The company is preparing to fix that at last by releasing a dedicated app for the OnePlus Buds.
Just like last year, 2K has released its latest MyNBA2K companion app ahead of the launch for the company's console and PC title NBA 2K20. The thing is, MyNBA2K20 isn't just a companion app for an upcoming console and PC release for NBA 2K20, as it's also a collectible card battling game that you can play directly from your Android device. So if you're into collecting digital NBA-themed cards and don't mind a boatload of in-app purchases, MyNBA2K20 is now available for download on the Google Play Store.
While today's release may be a little late to the party, Wizards of the Coast has finally published a companion app for its collectible card game Magic: The Gathering. Right now the app is available on the Play Store as an early access release, though it already sports some of the more prominent features you would expect of a companion app. This means you can already link your Wizard accounts directly to the app, track tournaments, save friend groups, and of course, more features are planned for the future as the app inches closer to a stable release.
Say what you will of Activision's Call of Duty series, one thing is for sure: it is hands down the most popular first-person shooter in existence today. It's thanks to this popularity that a stand-alone app such as the Call of Duty Companion App can exist. It serves as a 24/7 connection to all things Call of Duty, which means you can instantly analyze your performance, receive tailored recommendations, stay on top of the latest news, and most importantly, keep track of your friends so that you always know when they are online.
Red Dead Redemption II dropped at midnight on Friday, so if you're reading this, you've probably already put somewhere between a few and 40 hours into it. But in a game of this scale, there's plenty to see, and developer Rockstar Games has released a companion app for smartphones and tablets that'll help you find your way around.
Rootless Launcher (née Rootless Pixel Launcher) has had an exciting couple of weeks. It was released with much fanfare to the Play Store, and then subsequently pulled by Google for breaking the rules: apps can't download apps from other unknown sources outside the Play Store. Now it's back, but without the prompt to download its companion app.
One of the new features in Windows 10 is the Photos app, which obviously shows photos stored on your computer. With the recent Windows 10 Fall Creator's Update (ugh, I hate that name), the Photos app got a major upgrade, with the ability to create videos with 3D effects/music/text. It's like a modern successor to Windows Movie Maker.
2K is back again with this year's version of MyNBA2K. As always, this collectible NBA themed card game is available as a companion app to the ever popular console version of NBA 2K18. You can expect an all new redesign to the app, along with 300 new cards for the NBA’s 2017-2018 season.
The Alexa-enabled Ecobee 4 is coming, but the developers over at Ecobee have been busy working on their app. Ecobee released an update to it, adding a feature that allows you to set a geofence around your home. You can set your thermostat to switch comfort settings based on whether or not you (well, your phone) are entering or leaving that area.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon games for PlayStation, XBox and PC are hugely, hugely popular. The new title in the series, Ghost Recon Wildlands, is due to be released on March 7. To tie in with this, a companion app, Ghost Recon Wildlands HQ, has been released by Ubisoft on Android.
If you just can't get enough NFL football on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, occasionally Saturday, and also on major holidays, then there are worse ways to spend your money than EA's Madden franchise. And if you still can't get enough, you can bring that video game football experience with you everywhere (sort of) via the official companion app. The latest version for the "2017" edition includes most of the features you'd expect, with a heavy emphasis on the game's Madden Ultimate Team mode.
DJI, purveyor of premium-brand drones to the poor and the gentry, has a new app on the Play Store. It's a companion app for the recent entries in the company's lineup, mostly focused on the built-in still and video cameras. The app has a livestreaming function (but not remote control) and editing built in. But something odd is going on here: why is version four of the GO app getting a separate listing on the Play Store, despite the fact that both of them are free? The older app mentions support for Inspire, Phantom, and Matrice 100 drones, while the new one drops the Matrice in favor of the Mavic Pro.
Never let it be said that Android Police discourages innovation. Even so, the "N" device from Sony's Future Lab Program is a little hard to wrap your head around. At first glance it looks like one of those neckband-style Bluetooth headphones, and indeed, it does fulfill that function (with a pair of "open ear headphones" that are similar to, but not the same as, bone conduction buds). But it also has a pair of open-air speakers on the neckband, like a tiny little boombox. It isn't limited to music, either: according to Sony's site for the N, it also delivers "up to the minute information" like news, weather, fitness data, and notifications. The whole thing can be controlled via voice commands, including the built-in 8MP camera.
The Force Awakens is approaching a year old, but by Star Wars standards, the merchandising is only just beginning. A particularly new offering is the Star Wars Force Band, which lets you control Sphero's tiny BB-8 droid that has been rolling around since the film hit theaters. But instead of doing so using an on-screen interface, you use the Force.[EMBED_YT]https://youtu.be/8GGYO5vdrnI[/EMBED_YT]In this case, the Force responds to wrist movement detected by Sphero's band. You can signal BB-8 to move away from you or have it follow you. A nearly 300MB companion app offers a minigame that helps you learn how to steer the toy around.The app also provides additional use for the band that isn't dependent on also owning a BB-8. In a nod to Pokemon Go, you can collect digital holocrons in the environment around you.
Remember when console sports games were just about, you know, sports? RBI Baseball back on the Genesis was basically just Street Fighter with nine guys on a side: pick a team, pick an opponent, and go. EA's latest soccer games have season modes, manager modes, career modes, and on and on and on. The FIFA Ultimate Team mode, a mix of franchise management and "fantasy" sports with full-length matches, is designed so that players can pit their team-building skills against online opponents all over the world. (Oh, and also spend a bunch of money on in-app purchases for a $60 game).
Every year console sports fans get a new NBA-branded basketball game from mega-publisher 2K. And for the last several years running, Android has been blessed with an official companion app. Sort of. See, MyNBA2K isn't just a companion app that tells you when your buddies are ready to play, et cetera. It's also a free-to-play mobile game that, oddly, depicts computer-controlled battles between digital playing cards. Oh, and there's a big currency system behind it all, driving $100 in-app purchases. Of course.
Blizzard has been blowing GPAs, sinking careers, and ruining marriages with World of Warcraft for over a decade now. It's an enviable achievement. Though the biggest MMO game in the world has declined in recent years, the latest expansion hopes to add enough new and interesting content to bring old players back and maybe even snag a few new ones. One of the biggest new features is support for an official companion app, so addicts no longer need to rely on a PC to get their WoW fix.
It's not often that we see an Android game released just for Android TV, aside from the various exclusives that NVIDIA has acquired for its SHIELD set-top box. Hotlap Heroes eschews smartphones and tablets and insists that players experience its old-fashioned racing action on a full-sized television. The 3D racing game, a rookie effort on the Play Store from developer Team Pea, is $3.99 with no in-app purchases.
The original Mirror's Edge came out nearly a decade ago, and immediately garnered attention with its unique first-person running gameplay. This success was not followed immediately by a sequel, which seems strange for EA (since when does EA leave money on the table?). Instead, it's taken this long to get another Mirror's Edge game, and there's a companion app live in the Play Store in preparation for tomorrow's release.
It's impossible to launch a new flagship phone these days without some fancy (and expensive) companion devices. At least that seems to be the approach that Samsung and LG are taking, and the former has a very interesting 360-degree action camera on the way. The Gear 360 captures both still photos and video in (you guessed it) 360 degrees thanks to dual lenses and a ball-like design. The Gear 360 is launched in Samsung's home market of Korea, and though it's yet to get a western release, the companion app is already available.