What is the draw-over-apps permission?
Android's 'display over other apps' permission (SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW) lets an app render elements above whatever else is on screen. It's granted once, per app, in Settings — Android walks you there on first request.
| Price | $2.99, one time |
| Subscription | None |
| Where photos live | On your device only |
| Account required | No |
| Ads | None |
| Works offline | Yes — no server |
| Platform | Android |
Why does it matter?
Bubbles In Time draws from your own gallery — family, friends, pets, places — and shows them as translucent bubbles over any app, then lets them go.
Chat heads made it famous; Android 17's App Bubbles made it native. A memory app uses it for the gentlest possible purpose: floating a photo you love over the day you're having.
Where does the term show up?
You'll meet 'the draw-over-apps permission' across the growing space of photo-resurfacing and ambient-memory tools on Android — and in Bubbles In Time, which implements the concept on-device: photos, videos, and message threads floating over daily phone use, no cloud, no account, $2.99 once.
Quick answers
What does 'the draw-over-apps permission' mean in one sentence?
Android's 'display over other apps' permission (SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW) lets an app render elements above whatever else is on screen.
Do bubbles interrupt what I'm doing?
No — bubbles float without stealing focus. Tap to open a memory, dismiss to continue.
Is Bubbles In Time really a one-time purchase?
Yes — $2.99 once on Google Play. No subscription, no ads, no in-app purchases.