Zedge releases version 4.0, brings slick new UI and recommendation engine

Zedge has long been an Android favorite. One of top 15 apps in the Android Market (remember that?) and Google Play since 2010, chances are you use it or know someone who uses it. 

it just got a lot better.

There are still a gazillion great wallpapers and notification sounds to be found, but looking for them will be easier with the new slide-out menu and Android-centric user interface. It will almost make you say HOLOYOLO while looking for just the right wallpaper for your set up. Things are nice and fluid, everything is easy to navigate through, and most importantly, the focus is still on the content.

Speaking of the content, finding what you like is easier, too. You simply search for a wallpaper, or sound or game, and the recommendation engine  — which has paid attention to what you look at in the app — presents you with the results it thinks are most relevant. It seems to work well, and after some time testing things I get different results than my wife does for the same searches. And both of us think they are more relevant to our tastes than things would be if we switched phones for a few minutes.

Of course, some folks will have privacy concerns, and Zedge provides a big fat link to their policies that you need to agree to before you use the app. Read them before you click.

The app update should be pushing out right about now, and first-timers can find the Zedge app at the Google Play link above. The full press release is after the break.

POPULAR ZEDGE APP FOR ANDROID GETS EVEN BETTER WITH NEW USER INTERFACE AND UPDATED RECOMMENDATION ENGINE

More Than 75 Million Zedgers Now Enjoy Even Easier Way to Customize Phones from a Huge Selection of Free Ringtones, Wallpaper and Games

NEW YORK – December 5, 2013 – Zedge, a leading discovery platform for free, high quality ringtones, wallpapers and games today announced the launch of its fourth generation Android app. The latest version of the hugely popular app features a complete overhaul of the interface, with new sections and improved recommendations making relevant, high-quality game discovery and personalization content even more accessible. Zedge has averaged in the Top 15 most popular apps in Google Play US for a full three years and counting.

“The Zedge app is already installed on approximately 20% of Android phones across the US, and we expect the visually appealing, user-friendly experience of our latest version will not only attract more loyal Zedgers; it will also increase the usage across our existing install base,” said Tom Arnoy, Zedge CEO and co-founder. “The update also makes it easier for us to quickly introduce new features and capabilities into the service.”

According to an August 2013 report by industry research firm NewZoo, there are now more than 500 million mobile gamers worldwide. Zedge users alone download an average of 3 million games a day. In this overcrowded world of gaming options, Zedge acts as a matchmaker. Zedge ‘learns’ gamers’ individual preferences and pairs them with titles specifically relevant to their interests.

Arnoy adds, “Personalization and gaming are fundamental parts of the smartphone experience, and Zedge has earned its 75MM+ Android downloads by empowering users with custom wallpapers, unique ringtones, great notification sounds and outstanding games.”

The Zedge version 4.0 Android app is available for download now at Google Play: https://www.androidcentral.com/e?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.anrdoezrs.net%2Flinks%2F100048248%2Ftype%2Fdlg%2Fsid%2FUUacUdUnU34758%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fplay.google.com%2Fstore%2Fapps%2Fdetails%3Fid%3Dnet.zedge.android&token=dNqm7wBD

Jerry Hildenbrand
Senior Editor — Google Ecosystem

Jerry is an amateur woodworker and struggling shade tree mechanic. There's nothing he can't take apart, but many things he can't reassemble. You'll find him writing and speaking his loud opinion on Android Central and occasionally on Twitter.