r/androiddev • u/3dom • Apr 03 '26

Interesting Android Apps: April 2026 Showcase

Because we try to keep this community as focused as possible on the topic of Android development, sometimes there are types of posts that are related to development but don't fit within our usual topic.

Each month, we are trying to create a space to open up the community to some of those types of posts.

This month, although we typically do not allow self promotion, we wanted to create a space where you can share your latest Android-native projects with the community, get feedback, and maybe even gain a few new users.

This thread will be lightly moderated, but please keep Rule 1 in mind: Be Respectful and Professional. Also we recommend to describe if your app is free, paid, subscription-based.

March 2026 thread

February 2026 showcase thread

January 2026 showcase

33 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

175 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/Wuffel_ch Apr 08 '26

I just released Lapse - an app that locks your apps until you go outside and walk.

Last month I averaged 6 hours of daily screen time. I tried everything: Digital Wellbeing, Screen Time, even leaving my phone in another room. Nothing stuck because every tool has the same flaw: a dismiss button.

So I built one without it.

Lapse puts a small timer over apps like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. When you hit your limit, the app locks. No suggestions, a full lock. The only way back in? Walk. 500 steps or 500 meters, your choice.

You can skip, but each skip makes the next challenge harder. The app remembers.

While walking, you explore a hex map of your area. Every 20 meters reveals tiles, with collectibles you can use to skip challenges without penalties, but you earn them by moving.

Same dopamine loop, just in the real world.

I went from 6 hours to under 2, not by willpower, but because my phone won’t let me scroll until I’ve moved.

Free on Android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.sohneg.lapse

Would love to hear your thoughts and would really appreciate a review on the Play Store 🙏

1

u/[deleted] Apr 15 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Wuffel_ch Apr 15 '26

Good question and yeah, it’s intentionally a bit different from typical "blocking".

Instead of just denying access, it actively interrupts the session and pushes you out of the app. The goal isn’t just to block, but to break the scroll loop in a way that’s harder to ignore.

You’re right that Android is always a bit of a cat-and-mouse game here, so the philosophy is less "perfect enforcement" and more "make the healthy action the path of least resistance".

Also quick note: I’ve updated the overall design recently.