The 2018 World Cup kicks off June 14, and for soccer fans around the world there is no bigger event. A total of 32 teams, each representing a different country, will gather in Russia to kick, slide, and flop their way to what is arguably the highest honor in the world of soccer. The tournament consists of many games taking place over the course of a month, so if you want to keep up with everything, there are a few apps you might find convenient. If you’re looking for a great soccer game to keep you busy, we’ve also reviewed EA Sports’ FIFA 18.
The World Cup is a massive tournament, and it can be hard to keep up with every game. Onefootball, despite its goofy name, is an excellent app for staying up-to-date on the latest happenings in the world of soccer, whether you’re looking for recaps, scores, or the news. The UI is clean and easy to navigate, and you can choose which teams you want to follow to get information about them first and foremost.
What’s better than watching soccer? What about managing your own team? Most people won’t have the opportunity to manage a pro team in their lifetimes, but that’s why fantasy leagues exist. Goal Fantasy Football gives you a budget with which to construct a team. Forming a team is an easy process, and you can quickly join or create a “mini-league.” Goal even offers “achievements” for those who want goals to work toward.
For constant World Cup coverage, it’s a good idea to go to the source. FIFA’s official app for the 2018 World Cup offers comprehensive news updates, scores, and information on players and teams. You can read in-depth profiles of players, check the current standings, and learn the start times for upcoming matches.
Soccer is popular in Britain, so it’s no surprise that the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) supplies a wealth of soccer coverage. In addition to scores and news updates, BBC Sport provides in-depth analysis, including previews for various teams and features. There are even podcasts.
ESPN is probably the biggest name in American sports media, and the network has made its mark on the digital space with an app that offers constant coverage of every major sport, including soccer. The ESPN app has a dedicated section for the World Cup, so you can view the schedule of upcoming games, keep track of scores and standings, and read articles from ESPN writers. The app is free, but does include some ads.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.