The best Android apps in 2016: Get the best from your smartphone
Get the most from your smartphone with the best Android apps around
With millions of Android apps to download from Google's Play store, it's understandable that you might feel a bit rudderless. Don't fret - we're here to guide you through the jungle of the Google Play Store. Simply the best Android apps available.
We've listed the 61 best Android apps any phone could want, sorted by type from social and entertainment to fitness and travel apps. You may notice that there's no games in the list. That's not an oversight, it's because we have the best Android games listed elsewhere. To be clear, we're not saying you should download every one of these – it's just that if an app sounds appealing, it shouldn't disappoint.
Get the most from your smartphone with the best Android apps around
With millions of Android apps to download from Google's Play store, it's understandable that you might feel a bit rudderless. Don't fret - we're here to guide you through the jungle of the Google Play Store. Simply the best Android apps available.
We've listed the 61 best Android apps any phone could want, sorted by type from social and entertainment to fitness and travel apps. You may notice that there's no games in the list. That's not an oversight, it's because we have the best Android games listed elsewhere. To be clear, we're not saying you should download every one of these – it's just that if an app sounds appealing, it shouldn't disappoint.
1. Google Opinion Rewards (free - and actually earns you money!)
While many are free, some of the best Android apps in this list require you to pay actual money. If you're a skinflint, that's a problem, which is why you should definitely have Google Opinion Rewards installed.
Complete short surveys for Google and you'll be given credit to spend on the store. Sometimes that could be 50p, sometimes 10p, but it all adds up and no survey takes longer than a minute or two. Seriously, download this now.
2. Solid Explorer File Management (£1.50; with 2 week free trial)
A less painful way of managing your phone
Yes, it's dull, I know, but have you ever found an Android phone to have a sensible way of navigating your files like you'd find on PC or Mac? I certainly haven't. This is where Solid File Explorer comes in. It uses Google's own Material Design style for an easy to use experience, which makes moving your files around and reclaiming space a doddle. What's more, it links up to cloud storage systems so you can easily move files too and fro, and the latest version lets you lock important files with a fingerprint should you wish.
It's £1.50 to unlock, but you can try it out free of charge for 14 days to see if you get the use from it. For me, it was a total no-brainer.
3. Avast Antivirus & Security (free; with in-app purchases)
Keep malware from your handset with AV protection
Avast Antivirus & Security is a powerful antivirus app that you can trust; its PC counterpart is one of the best free antiviruses of 2015. For those who want comprehensive cover, plenty of additional features are available as in-app purchases, including geofencing and remote data recovery. For those who just want basic protection, however, you’ll find this does everything you need for free.
4. Greenify (free)
Make sure your battery isn't draining unnessesarily
Getting the most from your phone’s battery is always key. Lollipop may have its own set of battery-saving tools, and many phones now offer power-saving modes, but these should be seen as a last resort.
Greenify sits in the background helping to regulate how much battery various apps are using. It freezes the apps you tell it to when you’re not using them, and instantly defrosts them when you need to gain access.
5. Clean Master (free)
Keep that 'clean install' feeling
Nobody likes having a slow device, and Android somehow manages to grab digital detritus like a magnet in a junkyard. Clean Master is the mop and bucket you need to scrub your phone or tablet clean.
Clean Master’s Junk File Cleaning feature scans your Android device and chucks out any unwanted cache and residual files.
6. Tasker (£2.99)
Automate your phone's functions for an easy life
If you really want to tinker with Android, Tasker is a brilliant way of automating much of the functions you'd normally do manually. It takes a little getting your head around, but the scope here is enormous - especially if you have root access on your phone.
You can train your phone to open Spotify when you put your headphones in, for example, or automatically respond to texts with your street address. If you can feed it the instructions, Tasker can automate the rest.
7. Next Lock Screen (free)
Make your lock screen sparkle
Microsoft’s Garage project lets employees develop Android apps in their spare time, which is very fairminded of the company. One of the bestknown results of this scheme is Next Lock Screen, and this new version adds fingerprint scanning, provided your phone supports it; Smart Contacts and Smart Lock settings that let you configure how you unlock your device; and even locationsensitive wallpaper that changes automatically depending on where you are. Other useful features include detailed notifications that show all your missed calls, text messages and app alerts without you needing to “wake” your phone.
Because Next Lock Screen looks different to the standard Android layout, it effectively forces you to relearn your homescreen, which is jarring, but it has already amassed many devotees and recently won a “best lockscreen app for Android” award. Using it is almost like having a new phone without needing to pay for the upgrade.
8. Opera Max (free)
Supercharge your web browsing
Unless you’re lucky enough to have unlimited data on your phone, or a bottomless wallet, you’ll want to get the most out of your data package.
This is where Opera Max comes in. It crunches down the size of images and videos, speeds up website load times, and typically saves you from around a third to almost half of your general data use. You can restrict some apps to only ever connect via Wi-Fi, and temporarily turn off connections if you want to save some data for the end of the month.
9. Pocket (free)
Collect the best of the web to read later
Found an article you like but want to read it later, when you may not have an internet connection? Pocket is the solution to your problem.
Allowing you to save articles and videos to read and watch later across any Pocket-enabled device, you’ll never be short of something to read or share again. It’s the perfect distraction for Tube journeys, flights and those long train trips in signal black holes.
10. WifiMapper (free)
Track the best WiFi spots in the world
If you don't have a generous mobile data plan, you're going to want to use WiFi as much as possible, but finding good, free Wifi isn't always that easy. WifiMapper is the solution. Crowdsourced maps where the community shares where to get free WiFi, you should never have to rely on your data again
.
While many are free, some of the best Android apps in this list require you to pay actual money. If you're a skinflint, that's a problem, which is why you should definitely have Google Opinion Rewards installed.
Complete short surveys for Google and you'll be given credit to spend on the store. Sometimes that could be 50p, sometimes 10p, but it all adds up and no survey takes longer than a minute or two. Seriously, download this now.
2. Solid Explorer File Management (£1.50; with 2 week free trial)
A less painful way of managing your phone
Yes, it's dull, I know, but have you ever found an Android phone to have a sensible way of navigating your files like you'd find on PC or Mac? I certainly haven't. This is where Solid File Explorer comes in. It uses Google's own Material Design style for an easy to use experience, which makes moving your files around and reclaiming space a doddle. What's more, it links up to cloud storage systems so you can easily move files too and fro, and the latest version lets you lock important files with a fingerprint should you wish.
It's £1.50 to unlock, but you can try it out free of charge for 14 days to see if you get the use from it. For me, it was a total no-brainer.
3. Avast Antivirus & Security (free; with in-app purchases)
Keep malware from your handset with AV protection
Avast Antivirus & Security is a powerful antivirus app that you can trust; its PC counterpart is one of the best free antiviruses of 2015. For those who want comprehensive cover, plenty of additional features are available as in-app purchases, including geofencing and remote data recovery. For those who just want basic protection, however, you’ll find this does everything you need for free.
4. Greenify (free)
Make sure your battery isn't draining unnessesarily
Getting the most from your phone’s battery is always key. Lollipop may have its own set of battery-saving tools, and many phones now offer power-saving modes, but these should be seen as a last resort.
Greenify sits in the background helping to regulate how much battery various apps are using. It freezes the apps you tell it to when you’re not using them, and instantly defrosts them when you need to gain access.
5. Clean Master (free)
Keep that 'clean install' feeling
Nobody likes having a slow device, and Android somehow manages to grab digital detritus like a magnet in a junkyard. Clean Master is the mop and bucket you need to scrub your phone or tablet clean.
Clean Master’s Junk File Cleaning feature scans your Android device and chucks out any unwanted cache and residual files.
6. Tasker (£2.99)
Automate your phone's functions for an easy life
If you really want to tinker with Android, Tasker is a brilliant way of automating much of the functions you'd normally do manually. It takes a little getting your head around, but the scope here is enormous - especially if you have root access on your phone.
You can train your phone to open Spotify when you put your headphones in, for example, or automatically respond to texts with your street address. If you can feed it the instructions, Tasker can automate the rest.
7. Next Lock Screen (free)
Make your lock screen sparkle
Microsoft’s Garage project lets employees develop Android apps in their spare time, which is very fairminded of the company. One of the bestknown results of this scheme is Next Lock Screen, and this new version adds fingerprint scanning, provided your phone supports it; Smart Contacts and Smart Lock settings that let you configure how you unlock your device; and even locationsensitive wallpaper that changes automatically depending on where you are. Other useful features include detailed notifications that show all your missed calls, text messages and app alerts without you needing to “wake” your phone.
Because Next Lock Screen looks different to the standard Android layout, it effectively forces you to relearn your homescreen, which is jarring, but it has already amassed many devotees and recently won a “best lockscreen app for Android” award. Using it is almost like having a new phone without needing to pay for the upgrade.
8. Opera Max (free)
Supercharge your web browsing
Unless you’re lucky enough to have unlimited data on your phone, or a bottomless wallet, you’ll want to get the most out of your data package.
This is where Opera Max comes in. It crunches down the size of images and videos, speeds up website load times, and typically saves you from around a third to almost half of your general data use. You can restrict some apps to only ever connect via Wi-Fi, and temporarily turn off connections if you want to save some data for the end of the month.
9. Pocket (free)
Collect the best of the web to read later
Found an article you like but want to read it later, when you may not have an internet connection? Pocket is the solution to your problem.
Allowing you to save articles and videos to read and watch later across any Pocket-enabled device, you’ll never be short of something to read or share again. It’s the perfect distraction for Tube journeys, flights and those long train trips in signal black holes.
10. WifiMapper (free)
Track the best WiFi spots in the world
If you don't have a generous mobile data plan, you're going to want to use WiFi as much as possible, but finding good, free Wifi isn't always that easy. WifiMapper is the solution. Crowdsourced maps where the community shares where to get free WiFi, you should never have to rely on your data again
.
No comments:
Post a Comment