This is Google's selection of the best Android apps of 2015

posted by Florin T. / Dec 13, 2015, 7:10 PM

Now that 2015 is slowly but surely coming to an end, Google created a special category in Google Play to showcase what the company believes to be the best Android apps of the year.

Rightfully called "Best Apps of 2015", the category contains 17 apps that (unsurprisingly) answer to diverse needs. We have productivity apps, camera apps, communication apps, personalization apps, and even a shopping app. Mind you, most of these 17 titles haven't been released in 2015, so we assume that, for one reason or another, Google is really certain they're the best apps from all those that are currently available on Google Play. Check them out below (in alphabetical order), and let us know if there's any other app that you think Google should have included here.

Best Android apps of 2015

Candy Camera

Colorfy - Coloring Book

Cute - Beauty Shopping

View more + 13 images

image

Downloaded by over 80 million Android user, Backgrounds HD (Wallpapers) is completely free - no in-app purchases. As you'd expect seeing its name, this app provides wallpapers / backgrounds for your Android device. It's got thousands of them, divided into specific categories, and new ones are being added every day. The app is simple to use, letting you crop and edit wallpapers to make them perfect for your device.

Download (free).

Backgrounds HD (Wallpapers)

image

Candy Camera wants to help everyone "take beautiful selfies anywhere and anytime", and it looks like tens of millions of users are appreciating this. The app features various filters that are "specifically" designed for selfies, diverse beauty functions, stickers, a silent camera mode, and also lets you make selfie collages. Recently, Candy Camera was optimized for Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

Download (free).

Candy Camera

image

Although its name suggests that it may be an app for kids, Colorfy - Coloring Book is presented as providing "stress relief therapy for adults", and being "the secret against anxiety." The app features lots of drawings that you can bring color to, organized into categories including patterns, animals, gardens, famous paintings, and so on. Easy controls let you simply tap to paint, while filters and effects allow you to experiment with your creations.

Download (free, with in-app purchases).

Colorfy - Coloring Book

image

Cute - Beauty Shopping aims to provide the best deals on makeup and beauty products, and, since it's highly rated (4.5), it seems to be successful at doing that. The app appears to be mostly targeted at the fairer sex - though who are we to judge who should buy things from here, right? While Cute - Beauty Shopping is free, the products sold through it obviously cost money.

Download (free).

Cute - Beauty Shopping

image

djay lets you mix and remix songs from Spotify (requires Spotify Premium and an internet connection) and your personal collection, while offering various sound effects, Mixer, Pitch-Bend, Tempo, Filters and EQ controls. It supports MIDI controllers and audio interfaces, being an app that you should try if you're into mixing music on the go.

Download (free, with in-app purchases).

djay Free - DJ Mix Remix Music

image

Dubsmash is another app that's used by tens of millions of people. With it, you can choose from a wide range of usually famous sounds (including songs, film scenes, internet hits, and so on), then take a video of yourself to match it with the sound you've chosen. If that seems like fun to you, go ahead and try Dubsmash - it's free.

Download (free).

Dubsmash

image

Obviously, this is an app made for people who want (or need) to learn new languages - including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Turkish, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian. The app features vocabulary and grammar units, interactive tests and audio dialogues, and you can even submit exercises for native speakers to help you improve your skills. You'll also be able to test what you've learned with various word games and quizzes.

Download (free, with in-app purchases).

Language Learning - busuu

image

Microsoft Word needs no introduction, and, starting this year, it's available to most Android phones and tablets out there (as long as they run Android 4.4 or later, and have at least 1 GB of RAM). The app has all the familiar features that you probably already know from Windows, letting you start documents, or finish those that you've started on your PC.

Download (free, with in-app purchases).

Microsoft Word

image

Retrica is a famous photography app - it's simple to use, and provides tons of filters and layouts. It's got its own secure photo messenger, but it obviously also lets you share images via Facebook, Instagram, and other widely used social media platforms.

Download (free, with in-app purchases).

Retrica

image

Skype is the second Microsoft app on this list. Just like on Windows and other platforms, Skype for Android allows users to communicate with friends, family, or colleagues via instant messages, video, and voice calls.

Download (free).

Skype

image

Undoubtedly one of the most highly appreciated third-party Android keyboards, SwiftKey lets you type fast (either by tapping, or swiping), while also eliminating typos, and providing Artificial Intelligence-powered predictions. The app supports over 100 languages, and comes with plenty of themes and colors to suit your style.

Download (free, with in-app purchases).

SwiftKey

image

As its name implies, TouchPal Emoji is a keyboard for users who really love emojis - it's got over 800 of them. Of course, this is also a pretty good keyboard even if you don't want to make use of its emojis, featuring contextual predictions, clipboard (for multiple copy/paste sessions), customizable themes, and customizable key sounds.

Download (free, with in-app purchases).

TouchPal Emoji Keyboard

image

Truecaller lets you identify unknown incoming calls, block unwanted callers, and even search for phone numbers (both local, and international) to see who they belong to. The app could come in handy at times, right?

Download (free, with in-app purchases).

Truecaller - Caller ID & Block

image

Twitch is the go-to Android app if you enjoy watching broadcasts of famous games like League of Legends, Minecraft, Call of Duty, Clash of Clans, and many more. You can watch both live, and recorded broadcasts, while also accessing interactive shows by well-known companies like Sony, Blizzard, or Microsoft (Xbox). Full-featured chat is available, too.

Download (free).

Twitch

image

Yup, this is a weather and clock widget - one that you can personalize to your heart's desire. Besides current time and weather conditions, the widget can display information about pressure, visibility, humidity, UV Index, or wind speed and direction. Weather forecasts for up to 10 days are also available, and you can easily share weather info with your friends.

Download (free).

Weather & Clock Widget

image

The official Wikipedia app for Android features tab browsing, link previews, article suggestions, image galleries, and much more - all in order to make it easy for users to access the famous free encyclopedia - the largest and most comprehensive that humankind has created thus far.

Download (free).

Wikipedia

image

Z Camera promises to be "freaky fast" not just when snapping photos and taking video, but also when editing images, applying filters, and sharing your creations on social media. If you don't want to share, you've got a private gallery to keep your photos and videos safe.

Download (free, with in-app purchases).

Z Camera