There’s no time like the present to update your app drawers and download some apps! For users of the Android operating system, apps and games have been outfitted with some added security features for the last few years to accommodate the changing times. While there is still the debate over which operating system is more viable and stable, the smartphone industry has come a long way that any of the two is as good as the other.
In this article, we’ve rounded up the best Android apps of all time. So you don’t have to! Sit back, relax, open your Google Play store, and download these apps! Or if you already have them, then it’s time to update to the latest version! Here are some of the fundamental apps that should be present on any Android phone:
Crackle
Arguably one of the most versatile apps in the Play Store today in terms of media streaming, Crackle lets you stream movies, TV series, and many more right in your Android device. You can filter genres like comedy, drama, adventure, etc. then browse through the numerous selections the app offers. You can also queue up films and series to Watch Later so that the next time you come on, it will be there waiting for you.
Like the numerous free movie apps in the store, Crackle is free to download, and it’s a great way to get premium content without paying for it. Everyone loves free stuff, so if you’re particularly strapped for cash, yet you want to have a movie streaming service right on your phone, then get this app. You can even set up a free account so you won’t see as many ads.
Google Maps
In this day and age, physical maps are a thing of the past. Instead, we all rely on our smartphones to show and lead us the way. Google Maps is still the best GPS and web mapping service out there today. There’s nothing like it, with a pack full of features that are crammed into an intuitive and easy-to-use application.
With Google Maps, you can easily save your daily commutes, look for alternative routes, and see how bad the traffic is ahead of you. Most employed people use it every day for transportation, and it’s a godsend when going out of town and exploring new places and territories. Plus, Google Maps also conveniently recommends the best places to hang out near you.
Swiftkey
If you haven’t heard of Swiftkey, it’s time that you join the revolution. The typing revolution, at that. Swiftkey is a third-party keyboard app that learns from your typing language, recommends relevant words and phrases, and becomes a personal typing assistant the more you use it. The predictive engine in the app is unmatched, even when compared to the default keyboard app in Android.
To provide more context, it’s better than Apple’s default predictive text engine as well. The best part about the app? It’s free and customizable. So if you’re one of those people who want a little more pizazz when they type, Swiftkey is the app for you.
1Weather
We all need a good weather app in our lives. While talking about the weather is as mundane as it could be, we all rely on a weather app to get us through the day. Will you need to bring an umbrella? Do you need to get home early, so you don’t get stuck in the rain? These are just a few of the questions that we need answers to that a weather app should automatically answer.
Let’s face it though, there are a ton of weather apps in the Play Store, and some of them are not so great. The default weather app is excellent, but if you want something more advanced, in both features and interface, check out 1Weather. It has a single-page interface that shows you the weather in real-time, plus 12 weeks of the forecast, and radar to boot.
Takeaway
The wonders of technology never halt to amaze, and in the next few years, artificial intelligence and other more advanced features will come to make the apps that we have on our phones more intuitive, more sophisticated, and more packed with features. That would entail more computing power as well, so save up for new, up-and-coming flagship devices!