The Google Play Store is full of great applications, and that list is growing by the day. That being said, it is really difficult to hand-pick a several of them that are very best, especially considering that there are so many great ones out there, and that different people prefer different apps, of course. Well, that is why we won’t do that, but will, instead, suggest 10 applications that you should install on a brand new Android smartphone, if you’re wondering what to get. Compiling this list was not an easy task (as we can recommend hundreds of apps), and of course, apps from this list will not suit everyone, far from it, especially if you’re not a new Android user and are extremely familiar with what apps you prefer. Having said that, some of you may actually find some of these apps useful. Before you start browsing, though, do note that the apps listed down below are not laid out in a specific order, just because an app is first on the list doesn’t mean it’s better than the rest.
Netflix
Netflix is the world’s most popular service for streaming movies and TV series, and if you’re a Netflix subscriber or you plan to become one, then this app is a definite must-have on your Android smartphone. Netflix’s app has always been good, and it only became better with time, not only can you stream what you want on your phone seamlessly, but the app will remember where you left off with a particular movie / TV show, and it even allows you to download whatever you watching (not available for some shows) so that you can watch it offline if you expect you won’t have access to an Internet connection.
Snapseed
Snapseed is Google’s very own application, and one of the most accessible image editors for Android. Snapseed is completely free to use, and it is a great blend between automated and manual picture editing. If you’re one who doesn’t like to tweak images manually, Snapseed can take care of it for you, all you have to decide is what do you want your final product to look like, approximately, as there are a ton of preset options to choose from in this app. The UI is also easy to navigate, and it’s a great app overall, if you’re looking for a free image-editing application.
Evernote
Evernote is basically a note-taking application, though this is not your basic note-taking app, Evernote actually grew to become a whole lot more. You can basically organize your life, as in your daily schedule, using this application, and the app will sync everything you need online, so that you can access it wherever you want. You can create sketches in this app, record audio, attach various files, and so on, it’s quite a versatile app with a great design, and one of the best note-taking / organizer apps on Android.
Uber
Most of you are probably quite familiar with Uber by now, but think of it as a modern taxi service. All you need is to have this app installed on your smartphone, and whenever you need a lift, you can simply request a ride, and one of Uber’s drivers will respond and pick you up. Chances are you’ll get picked up really fast, and via this application, you have access to the location of the driver that is picking you up, while a ton more info is included.
LastPass
If you’re having issues remembering all your passwords, as there are so, so many services to think of these days, well, you can let LastPass take care of that for you. LastPass is a password manager, and this service is not free, but if you decide to use it, it will take care of all logins for you, so you don’t have to remember anything anymore. You will need to note down one major password for LastPass, in case of an emergency, but that is it. LastPass has been around for a long, long time at this point, and over 5 million users downloaded it on Android alone.
Solid Explorer
Most Android smartphones ship with some sort of a file manager pre-installed, while some don’t come with one at all. Well, no matter what the case may be, you’ll probably want to download a file manager that is extremely versatile and a joy to use, well, Solid Explorer is one of such file manager. This file manager comes with a great UI, and a ton of features, though it’s a paid app after the trial period ends. You can have two independent panels serving as file browsers here and drag & drop files between them, while this app supports FTP, SFTP, WebDav, and SMB/CIFS clients, so it’s basically good for a ton of different connections. These are only some of its features.
Solid Explorer (Google Play Store)
Zedge
In case you don’t like wallpapers that come pre-installed on your smartphone, or you’d like to get yourself a new ringtone for whatever reason, well, Zedge is the way to go. Zedge is a service that has been around for ages, and the Zedge app has a huge collection of wallpapers, live wallpapers, and ringtones that you can choose from. No matter if you’re looking for an actual ringtone, or a notification sounds, this app has you covered. The app is completely free to use, and you can set wallpapers and ringtones straight from the app, or download them to your smartphone first.
Twitter is one of the most popular social media services out there, and if you’re using it, you’ll want to download an app for it on your phone. Twitter’s official application is really solid, the company managed to improve it quite a lot over the years, so most of you will probably want to get it. If you’re looking for an alternative, however, Talon for Twitter is a great app that adds some additional functionality on top of what Twitter’s very own app has to offer, though Talon is a paid app, so chances are most of you will default to an official Twitter app.
Messages
In case you really don’t like the default SMS application that comes on your phone, you’ll probably want to get an alternate one, and that’s where (Android) Messages app kicks in. This is a really well-designed SMS app that comes from Google, and it actually allows you to access your messages via your computer as well. This app actually supports RCS on supported carriers, so that you can send and receive messages over Wi-Fi or your data network. In any case, the app is completely free to download and use.
Spotify Music
Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services out there, and if you’re a Spotify user, getting the Spotify Music app installed on your smartphone is a no-brainer. This app will allow you to get access to your music collection wherever you are, and if you’re listening to music often, then you definitely need to have it installed. Alternatively, if you use Google Play Music or Apple’s music streaming service, those apps are also available to download via the Play STore.