Microsoft takes a stab at the whole face swapping concept

Microsoft wants you to poke fun at yourself and put you in places you haven’t been with its new Face Swap. As the name of the app suggests, it works similar to the face filter apps on Snapchat and Instagram. But what this Microsoft app does is it can take your face and put it on someone you aren’t—for example, it turns you into an astronaut by putting it on someone in an astronaut suit.

Made by Microsoft Garage program, the app shows off Bing’s images search technologies and encourages people to use Microsoft’s search engine. To use, you just need to take a selfie in good lighting. The app will let you know if you took a good photo. From there it’ll isolate your face and let you start placing it preset categories for you to swap the face out. You can also use the Bing-powered search bar at the top of the app to look for more images to put your face on. You can share the images immediately or save it for later. The app is now available on Android and is coming to iOS soon.

Source: CNET

Google Photos hits 1 billion download mark on Play Store

Before Google Photos was able to hit this big milestone, 21 other apps can only claim they’ve been downloaded one billion times on the Google Play Store. Now, Google’s default photo and video backup app is joining this elite club. It hit the one billion download mark at the end of May. While some may argue that Photos comes pre-installed in a lot of Android phones, it still doesn’t diminish the fact that it’s one of the more used pre-installed apps on Android. Who do you think will make the list next?

Source: Android Police

WWDC 2017: watchOS 4 further refines Apple Watch for fitness

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

San Jose, CA - Apple introduced watchOS 4 today at the WWDC 2017 Keynote and said the updated wearable OS will deliver more intelligence and fitness functionality to users. A new Siri watchface brings proactive information when it is needed the most and is based on machine learning and Siri intelligence.

There will now be personalized activity coaching, a new music experience that syncs over playists and an enhanced workout app that ingegrates high intensity interval training. Another big feature is that Apple Watch will be able to synchronize with popular indoor gym equiptment, making tracking of stats and performance more accurate. This platform GymKit technology offers connected workouts with Apple Watch and cardio equipment. watchOS 4 will also introduce watchfaces based off Toy Story characters.

WWDC 2017: Apple redesigns App Store

San Jose, CA- Apple has redesigned the user interface of their App Store, which serves as the starting point for many app searches. Designed around making apps more discoverable the new App Store also highlights Games, which is the leading category.

The redesigned App Store is packed with original stories and editorial, updated daily in a new Today tab, as well as new Games and Apps tabs. Apple wants to offer compelling stories, in-depth interviews, helpful tips and collections of must-have apps and games will showcase Apple’s unique perspective and aim to inform, help and inspire users.

App Store customers have now downloaded more than 180 billion apps and Apple has paid out over $70 billion to developers since the store launched in 2008, making it the most vibrant software marketplace in the world. More than 500 million unique customers visit it every week.