First Look: Flipper Zero Launches an App Store for Hobby Hackers

pcmag.com:

I bought a Flipper Zero because I felt left out. The toy-like handheld device is brilliant because it lets an amateur like me do some real-world hackery I had previously only read about or seen on stage at Black Hat. With just a few clicks of the orange d-pad, I can read and emulate NFC or RFID data, or take a peek at the radio traffic around me. That ease of use gets superpowered with a new app store that makes it easy to add fresh capabilities to the device.

In fairness, it was always possible to add apps and even custom firmware to the Flipper Zero. But an app store puts those disparate resources into one place and makes it simple to add and manage applications. I got early access to the new app store and wanted to see how much I could do without getting my hands dirty, so to speak.

I accessed an early version of the Flipper App Store through a special web interface in Chrome or a beta version of the company's existing companion iPhone app. When it launches, the existing Flipper Android app will also be updated to include the app store. Disappointingly, Flipper Devices—the company that makes Flipper Zero—has decided not to launch the web interface.

Accessing the new app store is simple enough. I opened the beta Flipper app on my iPhone 13 mini and enabled Bluetooth. The app quickly located my Flipper Zero and connected. The beta app had all the features already present in the Flipper app; I could update my device's firmware, view saved data, and control Flipper Zero's functions remotely.

On iOS, tapping the Hub tab pulls up the storefront, with tiles of app categories across the top. The app store interface is decked out in Flipper Zero's notable white and orange color scheme with a grid of tiles for different types