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Android 7.1.2 renders the fingerprint sensor unusable for many Pixel, Nexus users

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Earlier this month Google unleashed the Android 7.1.2 update for Pixel and Nexus devices. However, it seems that the new build brought about an unanticipated side effect – it broke fingerprint sensor functionality.

Like it often happens when these bugs appear, Nexus and Pixel users have flocked to the Google product forums in order to request assistance.

No work-around for making the fingerprint sensor workable again has been identified at this point. Some users tried deleting all the fingerprints stored on a device and hard resetting it, to no avail – the sensors did not resume their initial functionality. Actually an error message pops up when one tires to add a new finger signature. Weirdly enough, the swipe down for notifications Moves gesture appears to have remained functional.

Google, for its part is expected to acknowledge the issue and start working on a fix ASAP. It’s not the first time Google rolls out an update which ends up breaking something or bringing some nasty bug forth.

Actually the Android 7.1.2 update for the Pixel phones was meant to fix a Bluetooth connectivity issue that had been plaguing select users for a while. But in the process of doing that, the new build broke something else.

The new bug seems to affect select owners of the Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P who have updated their phones to Android 7.1.2.

App and things to keep you sane when you are out on the road

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Being a truck driver has its perks- no annoying colleagues to put up with all day, a good salary, you can listen to what you want on the radio, and you get nice breaks in-between jobs. But it can also involve long hours in your cabin with nothing but the never ending open road in front of you. At times like this it can be extremely boring but luckily for you we have come up with a list of the top things you can do when you are on the road that will help you retain a bit of sanity!

Pick a good playlist

There is nothing worse that driving for miles with no music to listen to, or even worse, with bad music to listen to! Cher’s Greatest Hits is not going to cut it so we suggest you take some time to see what is out there and available for your listening pleasure. You can make your own playlists, download MP3s, or even choose from hundreds of trucking themed ready-to-go lists that are available for download onto your android tablet or mobile. These will help you get into the groove, give you something to sing to, and most importantly, will help you pass the time!

Download an app designed especially for truckers

There are a couple of android apps out there designed with truckers in mind but there is only one that combines them all. The definitive android app for the trucking industry, otherwise known as iTrucking combines industry specific news and information, jobs and careers, and a chat facility where you can talk to other road warriors in real time about real issues. It is sleek and easy to use and should become an essential part of any trucker’s routine.

Download a podcast or audio course

Whilst music is great to listen to when you are out and about, you could also use the time you spend driving for something constructive like learning something new or doing an audio course? There is an amazing selection of android ready podcasts and courses out there that will engage, interest, educate, and stimulate your mind whilst you are on the road. It might not sound fun but trust us and give it a go!

Get a cabin buddy

While this option isn’t for everyone, there are some truckers out there who bring pets along with them when they are out at work. Animals are great company and having a furry friend with you can make the time pass quicker and help you to stop feeling quite so homesick! There are truckers that take dogs, cats, birds, and even micropigs with them when they work so you never know, it could work for you as well!

Be sensible

Ok, now is time for the sensible bit- when out on the road, you must make sure to take your rest stops, get enough sleep, keep hydrated, and don’t let yourself get hungry. If you don’t do these things they will all lead to you losing concentration, risking falling asleep, or possibly having an accident. Yes you might have strict timelines to adhere to, but you are not going to get there on time if you crash. Look after yourself and you will perform better. Lecture over!

These are just five little things you can do that will help while away your working hours. Why not try them out?

Moto Z2 Force renders reveal the 3.5mm headphone jack is coming back

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A few days ago we saw a blurry press render of the upcoming Motorola Moto Z2 Force show up online. Now more (360-degree) renders and a video showcasing the same device have made an appearance, revealing more info about the device in the process.

Even if at this point, the Moto Z2 Force does seem to resemble last year’s model quite a lot, there are a few differences we need to point out. For starters, the 3.5mm headphone jack will be making a comeback, which is great news – at least for the vast majority. Secondly, we can say goodbye to the square-ish physical home button and hello to one very reminiscent of the recently released Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus.

Despite retaining the same 5.5-inch display of last year, the new Moto Z2 Force is expected to be a bit larger measuring 156.32 x 76.36 mm compared to 155.9 x 75.8 mm of the Moto Z Force. However, this year’s model will feature a skinnier 5.99 mm frame (8.5mm with the camera bump) – which is a lot sleeker than the 7mm figure of the Moto Z Force.

We’re also told that Sprint will bring Cat.16 downloads speeds to the new Moto Z2 Force. A while ago we told you the carrier was spotted demoing Gigabit Class LTE on a mystery Motorola flagship running a Snapdragon 835 processor during the New Orleans Pelicans vs Toronto Raptors basketball game. That elusive device was probably the Moto Z2 Force, which means this year the device won’t be tied down to Verizon anymore.

As previously revealed, the Moto Z2 Force will feature a main dual camera assembly, as well as a dual-LED flash up front. Apparently the phone will feature Lenovo’s logo plastered on the lower right side on the back, but this detail hasn’t been incorporated in the leaks we’re showing you today. The pogo pins are also present, so you can be sure the Moto Z2 Force will be compatible with Motorola’s Moto Mods – old and new.

Do you like how the Moto Z2 Force is shaping up so far?

LG Harmony comes to Cricket Wireless for $99.99

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Prepaid wireless service provider, Cricket Wireless has added a new low-range smartphone to its portfolio – the LG Harmony.

The newcomer is basically a watered down version of the LG K20 V which Verizon has available for $99 a pop (with the obligatory 2-year plan). At Cricket Wireless, the LG Harmony arrives with a 5.3-inch display with 1280 x 720 resolution, a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and 16GB of internal storage (microSD card slot available for memory expansion up to 2TB). Cricket does not mention the phone’s RAM capacity, but given that the LG K20 V has 1GB, we’ll have to assume the LG Harmony takes advantage of the same.

However, instead of the 13MP main snapper of the LG K20 V, you’ll find an 8MP main camera on the LG Harmony, plus a 5MP front-facing camera. The phone relies on a 2,800 mAh battery for juice and runs Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. Despite being a pretty low-end affair, the LG Harmony does feature a fingerprint reader on the back.

In the official press release they’ve sent us, Cricket Wireless mentions the LG Harmony comes bundled with unique LG features such as Auto Shot (automatically recognizes the user’s face and takes a selfie after 1 second once both device/object are still), Knock Code (security feature that unlocks the phone once users tap their sequence on the screen) and QuickMemo+ (write or draw on nearly any screen and schedule memos to appear at certain locations or times).

The LG Harmony can be yours for $99.99 with an activiation of a 3GB/8GB/12GB or Unlimited plan.

The Hot List: Textra, LG G6, MLB.TV, dbrand, Huawei, and more!

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As a site that centers around Android, we often find ourselves gravitating toward certain things. Be it specific hardware makers, developers, or something else, there’s usually something that each of us prefers. But, try as we might, our tastes change and we end up interested in the next shiny new thing. Sometimes we put aside one pair of headphones in favor of another because there’s something really, really cool about them.

What follows is a list of things that some of us here at AndroidGuys are currently digging. Below is a mix of apps, games, gear, and other things that have our interest as of late. And, no, not all of it is going to be mobile-related.

The aim here to help you discover something that you might not otherwise have come across. Or, maybe it gives you a slight push to revisit a particular company, app, or service. What you’ll see here comes straight from our various writers, contributors, and editors.

Textra

After finally getting the Android 7.0 update on my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, I was looking for an overhaul of some of my daily apps. Using Android Messaging for texts was fine for a while but I wanted something that felt premium like Android Messenger but with solid functionally.

 

After a recommendation from a coworker I downloaded Textra and after customizing EVERYTHING, I think I can safely say this will be a must download on every phone I get from this point forward. It’s fast, it’s intuitive to use, I can fine tune everything from color to emoji style. 10/10 from me.

Carved phone cases

I was looking for a new case for my phone. One that gave me a little style with a basic level of protection. Carved cases are real wood backed cases with a rubber bumper. They have so many designs to choose from.

I loved the mountain range and the map cases but I had to order two patterned cases.; they are modern and beautiful. The bumper seems small, so I don’t know how much protection it will actually provide, but with a case that turns this many heads, I may just have to go order two more.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3

I’ve been following stories and reviews on this tablet for a while and it’s very intriguing. The tablet seems like it’s a nice upgrade and including the pen is a great step in distancing itself from the iPad Pro that requires spending an additional $100. I’m not actively looking for a new tablet but because my daughter and I like to draw/paint/color, I’m considering upgrading from the original Tab S.

Piskelapp.com

I love drawing and animation and Piskel lets me create little animated retro-styled art pieces. It’s a great application site that is actually fairly deep yet simple to use for 8-bit style bitmap art pieces.

Budget Phones

Seriously, one of my favorite things about technology is that as we progress and find better ways to do things, the average user benefits immensely. Sure, flagships stay roughly the same price because they use cutting edge technology but, for the average user there is no need to have the $600-$800 phone any more.

If you follow our smartphone reviews at all you will see a plethora of low to mid level phones that would manage an average smartphone users expectation without putting a huge dent in that wallet.

LG G6

I can’t stop talking about this phone, even though the Galaxy S8 has been announced. I think this is LG’s best smartphone ever, despite catching flack for having “last year’s processor”.

dbrand’s cases for Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+

Dbrand has a lot of options and combinations available that can satisfy any Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ user. Moreover, there’s plenty of other models to choose from as well. Makes for great alternative to bulky cases.

Huawei Smartwatch v1

After spending two happy years with my iPhone and Apple watch I’ve taken the plunge into Android with an s7 Edge and Huawei Smartwatch.  I’m a week or so in and apart from missing my square Apple face I’m in love with this device; Android Wear 2.0 has me excited as it’s a tad basic, but, so far so good!

Free MLB.TV Subscription for T-Mobile customers

With this recent T-Mobile Tuesday event, Big Magenta gave away a free MLB.TV subscription, which gets you extra access to your favorite MLB team for the entire 2017 season.

Nintendo Switch

Most of my free time is now spent playing my Nintendo Switch. I have 10 games for it now, but primarily play Legend of Zelda. The Switch has been in the news a lot lately–most of which has been positive, but there are now reports of issues, so I’m always reading about what’s new and interesting in the land of Nintendo. I’m looking forward to more games and I’m curious how this partnership with nVidia will play out for both companies.

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Because it’s a game I’ve looked forward to for a long time and after starting it, it has been consuming all of my free time because it is so engrossing and wonderful.

Destiny: Age of Triumph

The newest expansion for shared-world shooter Destiny has really reminded me what made that game so fun to play in the first place. The refreshed Raids and incentive to replay old missions for the sake of nostalgia were a good move on Bungie’s part. A fitting Swan-Song.

Midnight Black OnePlus 3T

Because it looks extremely sleek. It’s also limited edition, so the appeal is greater.

Ocatave

Really exciting horror, adventure game with creepy graphics and a nice paranormal story behind it. “You play the role of a guy who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. You are dragged into a dark forest, but on the verge of death, you are mysteriously saved from your killer by a someone or something.”

Today is your last day to win a FREE Samsung Galaxy S8! Enter here!

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We have an exciting announcement! We here at AndroidGuys are teaming up with our friends over at X-doria to give away a Samsung Galaxy S8 and a Samsung Galaxy S8 case!

The Prize

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the Samsung Galaxy S8 is coming. It looks like Samsung has pulled out all of the stops this year! Gone are the physical buttons on the front so Samsung could make room for a MASSIVE screen in a small body. The phone is said to have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of onboard storage. We’ll see a return of goodies like an IP68 waterproof rating, microSD card external storage, and a dual-curved display.

Our Partner

We’re teaming up with X-Doria, who makes excellent cell phone accessories. You can pick up cases for hot phones like the Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S7, and coming soon, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus. If you do purchase a case from X-Doria, make sure you hit them on Instagram with the hashtag #xdoria and your picture might be featured!

How to Enter

Entering is super easy! Right below this paragraph, you’ll see a widget. The only required section is that you enter your email address and you’re entered. It’s as simple as that. You can gain additional entries for following @AndroidGuys and @XdoriaProducts on Twitter and tweeting out a message letting your friends know that you’re entered to win and where they can go to enter too. This giveaway is open to US residents with a US shipping address over the age of 18.

The contest starts RIGHT NOW and ends on April 15, 2017 when we pick a winner at random. Good luck!

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is coming, bound for AT&T

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The clock is ticking, pre-orders have been placed and Samsung fans around the world are salavating at the nearing prospect of incorporating the Galaxy S8’s beautifully sleek curves and vastly increased screen sizes into their tech infused lives. Whether you are a Samsung advocate or this being the first time at the Galaxy rodeo; I think we can all be in agreement that 2017 is going to be a year of benchmarks in useability, durability, features and function.

However, if you haven’t placed a pre-order for the Galaxy S8 until now, you might want to wait. According to a recent leak coming out of Sam Mobile, Samsung will continue the tradition in 2017 and launch the Galaxy S8 Active.

The jury was well and truly out on the prospect of seeing such a device hit the shelves this year due to the S8’s reinvented sleek design BUT we are happy to announce the Active is well and truly on its way.

So, what actually is this “ACTIVE” version of the globally anticipated Samsung S8 I hear you ask? Let me explain.

Samsung have been producing the “ACTIVE” range as far back as the Galaxy S5 and usually gets released around June time a few months after each flagship is outed for public sale.

Here is a render of last year’s S7 Active

The idea behind the Active range is to take all the features, functions and benefits of the flagship and combine them with military grade durability, increased battery life and a uniquely designed “ACTIVE” key. The “ACTIVE” key usually comes in the form of an additional button on the side of the device that allows you to link a specific app or function for instant access via either a Long Press – Short Press or Double Press even when the screen is locked.

For the more Geek-Sentric among us we can confirm that the official model number for this year’s Galaxy S8 is SM-G892A and comes with an equally intriguing code name of CRUISER.

So expect: The same display – Storage – Micro SD slot – and pre-installed OS and for added peace of mind – enhanced durability and quick fire access to whatever you need. It’s also important to remember: It is going to be bigger, heavier and as far as the looks department goes – it’s not going to be anywhere near as pretty.

AT&T are holding full exclusivity on this device so don’t expect to see it outside of the US anytime soon. Gear VR support? We most certainly hope so…

Samsung Chromebook Plus: The future of Chromebooks is now (Review)

The Samsung Chromebook Plus is one of the newer Chromebooks on the market and one of the first to feature the newest version of Chrome OS that now supports Android apps. Samsung also released a “Pro” model for $100 more that features a more powerful Intel processor. Both laptops are otherwise identical in terms of looks and features.

If you’re not familiar with Chrome OS, it’s essentially an OS based on Chrome, the web, and cloud-based platforms of Google Drive. You can’t run Windows or MacOS applications on it, but you can now use select Android apps on it, almost making it a hybrid OS.

Setup and Design

As far as the setup for the Plus is concerned, it’s as easy as logging into your Google account and organizing your desktop to your liking. The device is familiar if you have ever used a Chromebook before.

Design-wise, the Chromebook Plus is quite a looker. Featuring an all-metal design and an understated, simple overall appearance. It’s very thin and light, which is great for portability. It’s reminiscent of a Macbook at first glance, which is high praise for a Chromebook in my opinion. The Plus is a 2-in-1 convertible tablet Chromebook, with a smooth and sturdy hinge that allows you to flip the screen onto the back and use it as a tablet.

Features

The Chromebook Plus is a premium Chromebook, to be sure, at $449. The features it offers reflect that, with an outstanding high-resolution touch screen, USB-C connectivity, and a built-in stylus. The screen is a standout for sure, with its 12.3-inch 2400×1600 resolution and 3:2 aspect ratio. It seems bigger than it actually is due to the aspect ratio, which is great for everything except watching 16:9 videos, which have black bars around the borders. Otherwise, the screen is excellent, bright and colorful as expected from a Samsung device, and the touch and stylus response are good as well.

Here are the rest of the specs:

  • 4GB RAM
  • 32GB Storage, microSD expandable
  • Dual-array mic
  • 720p webcam
  • 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
  • 2 USB Type-C ports, Headphone jack
  • Stylus
  • “Island Type” keyboard, no backlight
  • Accelerometer and Gyroscope
  • 11″ x 8.7″ x .55″
  • 2.4 pounds
  • 39Wh battery, battery life around 8-10 hours
  • Processor: OP1 ARM Hexa Core

Performance

Performance is excellent on the Plus. With an ARM processor, you’d expect some shaky stuff when heavy web browsing, but the Plus has yet to break a sweat with multiple tabs open and android apps running alongside them. It may lag a bit when swapping apps or scrolling but it’s yet to be a real issue for me in regular use. Android apps running on the ARM processor are, for the most part, fully functional. Certain apps don’t play nice with the larger screen and Chrome OS, I’ve had some not work properly or outright crash on me. Fortunately the more popular and commonly used apps I tried like Slack, Facebook Messenger, YouTube, and Netflix work fine.

Battery life has been basically as advertised, and sometimes better! The Chromebook Plus effortlessly got me through a whole day of use and averaged about 8-9 hours. I took it on a cross-country flight to San Francisco and watched movies the whole way with no issue as well, never having to recharge on the six-hour flight. Points to Samsung on this one. Speakers were decent, if unimpressive, but thankfully Samsung had the courage to include a headphone jack on this device that works just fine.

The keyboard and stylus are the last things I want to comment on. The Keyboard is a standard Chromebook layout, with a search key and function row tailored more for web browsing. The keys feel decent and the layout is very comfortable, save for the small backspace key which takes getting used to. I typed this whole review on the Chromebook Plus itself with minimal issue. The stylus feels great to use, and is a blessing for navigating the touch screen, especially when in tablet mode. Taking the stylus out opens a menu for screen capture and other handy modes that are familiar if you’ve ever used a Samsung Note phone. The stylus is an excellent addition, and one of the standout features for me.

Conclusion

I have to say, I was never a fan of Chromebooks before. Being a PC enthusiast and always having a powerful desktop or Windows laptop handy, I never saw the need to pick one up before.

The Chromebook Plus changed all that for me.

It has so far been an excellent travel companion and work machine for when I want to get stuff done without being stuck at my desk. The addition of Android apps makes this an excellent laptop replacement and workstation for getting writing done. I’d say it’s definitely a strong showcase for Chrome OS and one of the best Chromebooks ever made, if you can justify the high price tag compared to the competition.

10 apps to help you learn new, interesting facts every single day

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I don’t know about you but I am a big fan of learning new things, and I especially enjoy finding bizarre and strange factoids. Learning new things is how you evolve as a human being, so it never hurts to add another interest to your hobby list.

And with smartphones being in our hands, all day-every day, we we can easily turn them into learning tools, if we want to. How? By downloading a few apps which can help us broaden our knowledge.

Reddit

I’ll start with good old Reddit – which is home to an immense database of knowledge. It’s like a digital version of the Library of Alexandria and sometimes you risk getting lost in its immensity if you don’t know where to look. I for one, am a big of the TodayILearned thread which lists interesting, little-known facts about anything and everything. Here’s a fun example:

TIL there is an 87 year old woman in Japan who owns a restaurant by day and spins techno at a local club in Tokyo by night. They call her DJ Dumpling.”

And there’s more where that came from.

Blinkist

I wish I could read more, but I don’t always have the time to. The Blinkist app knows time is limited, so it delivers book summaries right on your phone. You can either read these summaries or listen to them via audio.

The app includes abstracts of more than 1,500 best-selling books covering genres such as psychology, history, health or current affairs and much more. The app is free to download and use at first, but after the 3-day trial is over you will need to upgrade to Plus or Premium versions.

TED

Another great app for folks who don’t have much time to sit down and read a book. TED is an organization dedicated to spreading ideas worth hearing about. The Android app helps you deepen your knowledge by letting you search the TED Talks data-base by the subject you’d like to learn more about like “brain” or “creativity” or find a new topic of interest by browsing tags or playlists.

Trivia Crack

Improve your Trivia knowledge with this fun Trivia game which challenges you with hundreds of thousands of exciting questions. The app is available in 20 game languages and allows you to chat with your opponents and make connections too.

Curiosity

Aptly named Curiosity, the app allows users to explore articles, infographics and videos in order to bring them up date with their topics of interest. Are you passionate about a certain subject at the moment, let’s say Human Biology? Open Curiosity and tap on the category in order to open short-form articles and videos related to the topic. Explore new topics with this free knowledgeable database that will challenge you to keep learning.

StumbleUpon

StumbleUpon is an easy way to find the content you care about. When you first start using the app, you’ll need to add your topics of interest. After which you’ll be required to tap on the StumbleUpon button, so the app can start delivering the best topic-related content available on the net. It serves up an intriguing mix of photos, videos, articles, quotes, art, memes and tips.

Dictionary.com

Mobile fans can download the leading English dictionary app for Android for free from the Google Play Store. It’s one of the most comprehensive word data bases housing 2,000,000 definitions and synonyms. But the best part is that it features a Word of the Day section, which allows users to learn a new word everyway. For example, do you know what “Affinal” means? If you don’t, I suggest you download the app right now!

Just Facts: Did You Know?

Another easy-to-use app which delivers factoids to your Android. These are displayed in a form of a quick sentence, like for example “Most of the Vitamin C found in fruits is in the skin.”

The app is home to more than 10,500+ facts about animals, life, coffee, love, history, people, science, countries, music, companies, geography, immigration, nature, politics, food and a lot more. You’ll definitely find something worthy of your attention.

BrightSide

BrightSide offers a large collection of fun articles and listicles covering topics such as Inspiration, Creativity and Wonder. Want to expand your imagination beyond the mundane daily life? Give BrightSide and its articles a shot. You’ll find works such as “20 Utterly Captivating movies about love.”

Philosophy Quotes Every day

Get your dose of daily inspirational with this philosophical app and learn something in the process too. For example, did you know that Herman Hesse author of Steppenwolf believed the following?

The man of power is ruined by power, the man of money by money, the submissive man by subservience, the pleasure seeker by pleasure.”

How Android has improved its features for gamers

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Looking back at the evolution of mobile devices, we’ve come a long way from playing Snake on our Nokia devices. Technology has progressed at an impressive speed, and with phones making full use of it, there has never been such a good time to be a gamer on the movie.

The first improvement of course was the move to Java which enabled more complicated and graphically impressive games to be developed for phones. With games getting more complicated, phones becoming more powerful, and better technologies such as Adobe Flash becoming available things just got better and better.

If you are the type of phone owner that likes to own the latest model each year you’ll know just how impressive and fast these processors are becoming. Along with the processing power though, screens are also becoming more powerful and the GPU power allows for even better looking games.

While Android is often found on phones, the size of screen is often restricted by the need to keep the devices small. This is where the need for the tablet became obvious. With a powerful processor, GPU and bigger screen, games could become more engrossing and most importantly, have more space for the user to play.

What does all of this new technology provide the gamer with? The easy answer to that is choice. While some may want to stick to classics like Snake and Tetris, most have moved on. The fact we see television ads all the time for new mobile games shows the success of the mobile gaming industry now, and a lot of that is down to the improvements that both the Android and iOS operating systems have provided.

Looking at the choices of games that we have now, there are many to choose from. Whether you’re playing on CasinoCruise, or even a more arcade style game the options are there. We see games that are connected to movies and television, and popular franchises all being represented on Android devices these days, and there is no slowing down on the growth we are seeing.

The fact is, there is big money in mobile gaming, and the big companies have noticed it. While Android may have had to wait for Super Mario Run, the first big Nintendo mobile release, it now has it. Pokémon Go has also been a huge release that has also brought in the power of augmented reality to add to the gaming experience, next will obviously be the move to virtual reality using a headset.

Android (and iOS) have revolutionized the world of mobile gaming, and it is now a form of play that is here to stay. With more and more games arriving daily, better phones providing whole new abilities to developers, and plenty of gamers willing to play, the future of mobile gaming is very strong at the moment. With no sign of slowdown in innovation, the world of gaming makes it a very exciting time to be a mobile gamer on mobile devices.