5 Android apps you shouldn't miss this week - Android Apps Weekly

Welcome to the 403rd edition of Android Apps Weekly. Here are the big headlines from the last week:

• WhatsApp is officially rolling out end-to-end encrypted backups. The rollout started on October 15th so most users should have it by now. The new features let users lock their private messages on Google Drive or iCloud behind a password or a 64-bit encryption key. Hit the link to learn how to do it.
• This week’s Wallpaper Wednesday is out with six more excellent wallpapers. This week featured a few good cityscapes along with some wallpapers from the Android Authority team. Click the link to check them out.
• Google Search on mobile received its biggest update in years this week. The world’s most popular search engine now has an infinite scroll. Basically, instead of going to page two, the site now just keeps scrolling down infinitely. The change rolled out to English users in the US first with more to come over time.
• Brave Browser now has its own search engine. The new search engine, Brave Search, offers many of the same features as DuckDuckGo. It doesn’t track your usage or anything like that. It’s now the default search engine in Brave Browser. There are likely concerns about how well it works. However, Brave says when the app can’t find something, it’ll still source other search providers.
• Android 12 officially launched this week. With it came a plethora of new features for both the operating system and apps. Some include the new screenshot feature, a game mode API, a gaming dashboard (coming later this year), AppSearch, and more. Click the link to view everything.

Resortopia

Price: Free to play

Resortopia is a simulation game. You start with a giant resort building and must build a bunch of entertaining rooms. People come and visit your resort giving you the funds to continue building the resort. The core gameplay loop includes upgrading your resort, decorating everything, and engaging with the characters. You then rinse and repeat over and over again. There are ads, but they aren’t too bad. Otherwise, the game is free to play.

RebateKey

Price: Free

RebateKey is a shopping app for deals. Basically, it shows you a bunch of items with active rebates. You buy the item, follow the procedure, and RebateKey sends you back the rebate money. It actually does pay out and you can Google the company and see for yourself. The app seems to be pretty basic. It shows you the various deals and you can check out the rebates. This one is brand new, but as long as they pay out, it should work well for most.

Sprite Fantasia

Price: Free to play

Sprite Fantasia is the sequel to Grand Fantasia Online and it is an MMORPG. As such, it plays like most MMORPGs on mobile. You get a big world to explore, enemies to beat, and quests to do. The game includes a sprite character that follows you around and helps you fight bad guys. The game definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously and also contains mini-games to pass the time. The story is decent, if a little fast-paced and everything is put together well.

Funetix

Price: Free

Funetix is a literacy app for children. The app contains a tutoring experience that includes 40 modules with fully narrated and animated tutoring. It’s built to help teach kids how to read without the adult always having to be there. There are a variety of activities along with things like pronunciation guides, cute characters, and more. It’s also entirely free so it can’t hurt to try.

NBA Now 22

Price: Free to play

NBA Now 22 is the latest sports game from Com2uS (developers of Golf Star, MLB 9 Innings, and Ace Fishing). It’s an arcade basketball game with simulation elements. The game actually lets you play basketball, although the controls are a little basic. You can also collect players through card packs. The game features the official NBA schedule for this season, an accurate roster, and you can even collect retired players as well. It’s a decent overall experience, although I do wish the controls were better.

If we missed any big Android apps or games news, tell us about it in the comments or email us at contact@androidauthority.com.
Thank you for reading! Try these out too:

• The best simulation games for Android
• The best shopping apps for Android
• The best Android MMORPGs
• The best kids apps for Android to keep your kids entertained
• The best basketball games for Android