Apps

Google’s new apps will help you win friends and influence people

All part of Google’s Digital Wellbeing program

Published

October 24, 2019

Luigi Leonardo

Days ago, Google discontinued its data-saving app, Datally. Presumably, the company is cutting down its expansive suite of niche apps. At least, that’s what it seemed at the time. However, Google just put a hole in that theory. After discontinuing one app, they are launch five more in its place.

As part of its ongoing Digital Wellbeing initiative, Google is rolling out five lifestyle apps dedicated to curbing your smartphone usage. These are Desert Island, Morph, Post Box, Unlock Clock, and We Flip.

What would you bring to a deserted island? This hypothetical question is one of the most popular conversation starters for ages. Desert Island ponders on the same question but regarding your app lifestyle. It asks which apps are the most essential to your day-to-day life. Then, Desert Island challenges you by disabling all other apps for the entire day.

Morph is a more intelligent app limiter. Instead of disabling apps, it will simply suggest which apps are most appropriate depending on your current situation. If you set it to Work, for example, Morph will suggest Gmail. Essentially, Morph is a smart predictor for app usage based on situation.

Though the previous two controls app usage, Post Box will control your notifications. The app will keep your notifications hidden until regular intervals throughout the day. Alternatively, it can keep all of them until the end of the day. Post Box will also organize the notifications for you.

Unlike the previous three, Unlock Clock is a simple wallpaper for your phone. Set on a gray background, the wallpaper is a counter that counts how many times you check your phone throughout the day.

Finally, We Flip is a social game between a group of friends. The game should already be familiar to most people. Set your phones face down in the middle of the table. When installed and paired between all phones, We Flip will start a timer. The first person to check their phone, loses. Further, it also logs in how many times each person checks their phone through the night.

Google introduced the Digital Wellbeing program at last year’s I/O. The initiative aims to improve the lifestyles of all Google users. All five apps are now available on the Play Store.

Apps

YouTube makes picture-in-picture mode free for everyone globally

The update is rolling out globally now.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Picture-in-picture (or PiP) mode is a godsend for multitaskers. The feature lets users watch videos in a tiny floating window while doing other tasks. However, the feature isn’t readily available for all users. Or wasn’t, at least. YouTube is now rolling out PiP mode for free globally.

Previously, PiP mode was exclusive to YouTube users who pay for Premium or Premium Lite. It was also exclusive to the United States.

Now, YouTube is making the feature completely free for users all over the globe. It will be available for both iOS and Android versions of the app.

There’s still a catch, though. The free version is available only for “longform, non-music content.” The same goes for Premium Lite subscribers. Music is still an exclusive feature for those who pay for the regular version of Premium. Basically, there is no change for paying users or users in the United States.

Using PiP mode is simple. All you need to do is load up a video you want to watch in the background. Then, just exit the YouTube app and go about your other tasks. The video will be inside a floating, resizable window while you look at other things.

There’s no timeline on when the update will reach your device. However, YouTube has promised that it will roll out globally within the coming months.

Apps

Google might be moving away from flat design

Bye bye, Material Design.

Published

April 27, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

It’s time to kindly shove off, flat design. After over a decade of Google’s Material Design, Android is finally showing signs of ditching flat, monotonous colors. In a series of logo redesigns, Google is reportedly trying out gradients as its latest reinvention.

As spotted by 9to5Google, Google is moving forward with incorporating gradients into its designs. Previously, the company started changing the icons of a few first-party apps including Photos and Maps. Now, it seems that the new design philosophy will reach the rest of Google’s suite.

In the obtained designs, the rest of Google’s plethora of apps will no longer look static. The splash of gradient adds the feeling of layering without losing the company’s roots in flat design. Docs and Sheets, for example, look like a light shining on pieces of paper.

Image source: 9to5Google

It’s unknown when Google plans to incorporate the new philosophy. However, with Google I/O coming fast, it’s fair to bet that an update might come out around that time, especially since that event’s logo already has gradients.

Google’s evolution is not without its precedent. Besides the company’s small trial previously, Apple’s iOS has also made inroads into more three-dimensional designs with the new Liquid Glass. However, unlike Apple, Google’s newest design is a far cry from the former’s return to Windows Vista aesthetics.

Personally, I don’t mind the transition to 3D, as long as it’s done well. Though still visually pleasing, flat design has started overstaying its welcome. It’s time to try something new.

Apps

Significantly better ChatGPT Images 2.0 launches

Stronger creative reasoning, better design output, more formats, improved overall experience

Published

April 22, 2026

GadgetMatch

OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Images 2.0. This updated image generation model has a meaningful jump over competitors and its current ImageGen 1.5.

Now available across ChatGPT, Codex and the API, Images 2.0 delivers stronger creative reasoning, better design output, more flexible formats, and a faster, more intuitive user experience.

Paid users (Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise) will benefit from a more advanced image experience (ImageGen Thinking 2.0). The state-of-the-art model can take on complex visual tasks and produce precise and immediately usable visuals.

ChatGPT Images 2.0 is likewise better for creative and professional use cases. It has a significantly better performance at producing text-heavy assets, infographics, product mockups, UI concepts, and more structured visuals.

Moreover, users can generate images in a wider range of aspect ratios. The outputs are limitless, from posters to comics or anime to detailed infographics to simple images. API users, on the other hand, will also have access to 4K resolution.

To try the upgraded image generation model, simply head to ChatGPT and select “Images” in the sidebar.

Users will be able to see the top five prompts as well, curated by OpenAI, for them to try. This is to highlight the capabilities of the new model.

Overall, ChatGPT Images 2.0 offers a more seamless experience on mobile, web, and desktop. The intuitive user experience includes improved prompt suggestions, loading states, editing features, and multi-output views.