Best Android apps of 2015: 24 apps you must try
Best Android browser app
As a Google product, Chrome is the perfect browser for Android and, since it comes pre-installed on most phones, it’s something that most people are familiar with. Chrome Beta is our current best Android browser app because it’s just the, ahem, better version of the browser we already love.Chrome beta is Chrome of the future, it’s what the standard Chrome app will become once Google applies the latest changes, fixes and improvements it is working on. Chrome beta users get to experience these things before the masses.
The price paid for quicker access to new features is that, of course, sometimes there are bugs or issues that need to be ironed out. None of these will cause any damage to your phone or its software however, and these browser crashes and stutters very rare.
Best Android podcast app
Podcast Addict is a beautiful app because it piles an excellent free service on top of free service — that is, listening to awesome podcasts. Podcast Addict itself is a free download and it lets you search for, download and listen to podcasts (with its integrated audio-player), as well as create playlists of the upcoming shows you want to tune in to.What's more, it houses a neat "trending" search feature so you can see what else is currently popular in the podcast world, providing a simple entry point for newcomers. While it's not always the easiest to navigate, it does everything a good Podcast app should do and it does it well.
Best Android keyboard app
This keyboard is one of the best for fast, accurate typing and it’s our new company favorite. Many of us have adopted Fleksy because it’s big, it’s clever and once you use it for a couple of hours, you realize how useful some of the smaller details are.For example, most keyboards use a "press and hold delete key" gesture to delete words, Fleksy uses a super-quick backwards swipe. Be sure check out some of the extensions like invisible keyboard too — it works surprisingly well. Download it from the Play Store for free now.
Best app for downloading free music on Android
Google Play Music is our favorite app for downloading free music right now. Though there are many music download apps available in the Play Store, they are often quickly removed because of their copyright-impinging functionality. Google Play Music provides you with a totally legit, ever-changing list of free tracks from major artists to download.Spotify has an excellent paid subscription service, and SoundCloud has a multitude of tracks readily available to stream, but for actually downloading tracks to your phone, Google Play Music is as good as you can get.
Alternatively, head to the link below for some less common free music downloading apps.
Best Android apps for downloading free musicBest app for watching TV and Movies on Android
Hulu is an excellent app for watching movies and TV shows on Android. It's a free service that relies on ads, but there are some great shows available. You need to pay a subscription fee to access all of the content, but there is a range of excellent shows available without subscription, including classic US comedies such as Family Guy, Seinfeld and South Park.It's currently restricted to the US, but hopefully we'll see Hulu appearing in more territories soon.
Best app for watching TV and Movies on AndroidBest camera app for Android
Camera360 Ultimate made its way onto our best Android camera apps list because it offers so many features, including more than 200 filters, NFC photo sharing and tons of one-touch fixing tools. These adjustment options are both powerful and easy to use, making Camera360 Ultimate a great choice for new and experienced photographers. It's a comprehensive free app that ensures you get the best out of your Android camera.
Best image-editing app for Android
PhotoDirector is the whole package. It has everything you could possibly need to edit your photos. The tools range from simple text bubbles and filters, to more complex things such as HSL and curves, and they're all heavily adjustable, helping you get the best out of your photos. It's for messing around on and seeing what you end up with.The app is developed by CyberLink, a large Chinese multimedia software company, so they have the money to splash on an app, and it shows. Highly recommended for novices and pros-on-the-go alike.
Best video app for Android
The default video player on your Android phone will probably 'do the job' and play most standard video formats without much fuss. But if you're playing niche formats or enjoy tinkering with the video settings to get the perfect picture, then you'll need to branch out.VLC for Android supports a huge number of video formats and has a slew of adjustable settings to create the viewing experience you desire. You can also use hardware acceleration to take full advantage of your smartphone's processor. The gestures are simple and intuitive, and the audio player is also highly capable. Check it out.
Best GPS and Navigation app
HERE is Nokia's own map app, which it used on its devices once upon a time. It provides everything you'd expect, including turn-by-turn navigation, search and satellite imagery, but the main draw is its offline feature. You can download maps of entire countries and use them almost exactly as you would online, without wasting precious MBs.This is really an indispensable app if you travel a lot or frequently find your data usage going over the limit. The only downside is that you have to register to download maps, but it's totally free, and once you've done it, you can go nuts and download the world.
Best Android-exclusive app
iOS is a fierce rival to Android and offers a range of great apps and features, but it doesn't offer everything that Android does. Nova Launcher is one of our favorite Android-exclusive apps because, in many ways, it underlines what is so great about Android.Nova is an alternative launcher compatible with Android 4.1 onward. It lets you customize the entire look and feel of your operating system, from changes to font size, to the number of apps that can appear on the lock screen, to the way in which your app drawer scrolls. Nova Launcher is a prime example of how Android can be molded to suit individual tastes and preferences, in a way that iOS cannot.
If you wish you could make a few simple changes to your current interface, then give the free version of Nova a try. Nova even lets you adopt the look of any other phone - Galaxy, Xperia, HTC, LG, even iOS if that's your thing.
Best Android app for kids
There are a whole bunch of educational apps, games and books that you can download on your Android phone or tablet, you just need to hit the 'categories' section in the Play Store and select an age group, or subcategory such as 'education'.Once you've installed some suitable apps, we recommend downloading Kids Place. This app allows you to assign the particular apps and games you want to give young ones access to, and restricts them to a screen that shows these apps only (until a PIN code is entered).
Kids Place also prevents children from sending messages or purchasing other apps while using the device, and you can set a time limit for how long access is granted; think of it as temporarily putting your phone or tablet in safe mode.
Best app for musicians on Android
Do you find yourself bobbing your head along to the rhythm of the train when you're sitting on it, or composing silent melodies in your head that you know would sound amazing if only you could record them at that moment? Then you should check out Caustic 3, the latest version of the popular mobile music-making machine. Using this powerful tool, you can use one of 14 different synthesizers, vocoders and drum machines to create that perfect sound on the move. Caustic 3 is a deep and complex app, so be prepared to put some time into, but the results are great.
If you're looking for a simpler way to make music on the move, check out our other favorite music-making apps at the link:Best app you won't find in the Play Store
Sometimes you have to venture beyond the Play Store to find the best apps. From our collection of favorite apps found outside the Play Store, our number one was TubeMate. Using this app, you can download YouTube videos to your device in various formats and resolutions - including 1080p.Anything you download will automatically be saved to the video section of your gallery, and be instantly ready to watch, stream to Chromecast, or otherwise do with as you please.
Best unknown Android app
Ask Me Anything, brought to us by Reddit AMA, is a unique and surprisingly low-key app which lets you read the latest celebrity AMA interviews, and also send over questions that you'd like to ask those celebrities. You can also vote on questions other people present, and help decide whether those questions get asked to famous faces from the worlds of film, sport, science, and more. Strange that an app involving celebrities wouldn't be very popular, right?
Best cloud storage app for Android
Cloud storage is so commonplace now that its name doesn't sound quite as mystical and ethereal as it did a few years ago. That doesn't make it any less useful, as storing your personal data online is - for the most part - much safer than keeping it on a fragile old hard drive.We're prepared to accept accusations of bias here, as our favorite cloud storage app is Google Drive. it's baked into most Android devices, Google is always giving extra GBs of storage space away for free, and it's synced up with the handy Google Docs office suite. It's the undisputed champ.
Best messenger app for Android
There are some obvious contenders for 'Best messaging app' on Android - WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger to name a couple - but Drupe is the one messaging app to rule them all. If you haven't heard of it, that's because it's relatively new on the scene.Drupe displays your whole contacts list, then lets you contact people using any of the most popular messaging services - WhatsApp, SMS, Skype, you name it. So from this one app, you can essentially contact anyone using any messaging app you want. It's ingenious!
Best dating app for Android
Whether you're looking for love, companionship, or something more - ahem - 'carnal', there are plenty of Android apps out there to help you find what you're looking for. In fact, you could say there are Plenty of Fish, which is one of our favorite dating apps out there.Sign-up is free, and you're matched up with people well-suited to you based on some inscrutably complex but effective algorithm. It even advises on good places to go on dates in your area. It makes finding a date easier than shooting fish in a barrel.
Best offline app for Android
When you don't have a Wi-Fi or data connection it's too late to download one. We've got the best of the best of offline apps for Android for your offline enjoyment. One of the very best offline Android apps of all is Pocket, and offline reader app that saves text and images for reading later on. No more bookmarking, link sharing or copy pasting when you've Pocket in your pocket.
Best lock screen app for Android
Lock screen apps are awesome - you can do things on your smartphone or tablet without even having to unlock it. From checking notifications, calendar reminders, music controls, missed calls, Quick Settings and more, Next Lock Screen lets you take control of your locked phone. Next will even suggest apps based on your location.
Best alternative to the Play Store
The first thing you should know is that Google Play is not the only place you can get Android apps. Sure, it's the biggest and the most official, but there are lots of apps out there that never quite made it to Google Play or that simply exist elsewhere (like in the Amazon app store for example).Our favorite Google Play Store alternative is SlideMe, where you can find a whole bunch of cool, hand-picked apps that have been individually tested to ensure that they work on AOSP (Android Open-Source Project), and are not tied into the Play Store's services.
Best music-player app for Android
The Walkman and the iPod are as good as dead, because our smartphones have taken over as powerful music players. While the default music apps on your Android device probably do a fine job, if you want to crank up the bass or other aspects of your music, you'll need something more.One of the best music player apps for Android is Poweramp. It’s a great way to enjoy your favorite music, with a ton of options and support for almost any type of file. You can’t go wrong with Poweramp.
Best productivity app for Android
Smartphones might not yet be valid replacements for our PCs, but with their increasing power and screen sizes, they're getting there. As such, it's good to have the best possible productivity apps on your Android device, so you have the assurance that you can do some work when there's no keyboard-and-mouse computer around.Expensify is one of our best Android productivity apps simply for managing your budget. You can make it as simple or as detailed as you want, and track all of your spending in an easy-to-use format. It’s great free business travel app that you shouldn’t be without.
Best launcher app for Android
Rooting and modding mobile devices was a terrifying prospect once upon a time. But more online tutorials have cropped up, and more apps have arrived to help. However, if you're not ready to go down the techy path of rooting (it's really not that bad), you can always do some modding using a variety of Android launchers.When it comes to the best Android launchers, smart launcher is one of our favorites due to its unique, ultra-cool design. If you can’t find a theme to suit you here, we don’t know where you will.
Best security and maintenance app
Android security is a contentious subject and arguments about the safety of the system crop up frequently. Keep safe out there and check out some of our recommended security apps. While you're at it, you might want to have a go at optimizing your system performance too.AVG is one of the best anti-virus apps for Android. Even if your browsing and app downloading habits are completely safe, you can never be too careful. Check out AVG for a discreet solution.
- Best apps for monitoring system performance on your Android device
- Best apps to boost Android system performance
Best weather app for Android
There are plenty of weather apps available that are more accurate than those pre-installed on your Android device. We've had a look at some of the best, as well as some GPS apps which might help you outdoors.Yahoo! Weather is one of our favorites at AndroidPIT because it looks great, it’s simple to use, and it presents all of the information you require at a glance. It also comes with a nice widget too.
Best fitness and lifestyle app for Android
Whether you want to lose a few extra pounds or meet some new people, we have some apps to help you out.Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal provides a great way to lose weight and stay in shape. Simply enter your weight and height, and Calorie Counter will tell you how many calories you can consume each day while losing weight. It requires a little effort on the part of the user, but it’s worth it.
Bonus: Try new apps and get rewards
If you're looking for more great apps for Android, download Buzzinga!Buzzinga recommends new apps for you to discover and review. Best of all, you get rewarded for it. The premise is simple: the more apps you download and review, the more points you accumulate. You can exchange those points for the chance to win prizes, including Ultra HD TVs, the newest smartphones and other gadgets, or you can redeem them for Amazon, Starbucks and GameStop giftcards. Buzzinga is developed by App Media, which is owned by Fonpit, the publisher of AndroidPIT.
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