What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? If you’re like most people on this planet, chances are your hand involuntarily reaches out for your phone first thing in the morning. To say that smartphones have become an indispensable part of our lives would be an understatement. It won’t be wrong to say that checking our phones has become as ingrained in our lives as regular activities such as eating and sleeping.
The Enigma of Smartphones
But what is it that makes smartphones so special and important? To begin with, a smartphone gives you the power to access any information at your fingertips. Not to mention, you can perform a plethora of tasks on your phone, from making online payments to clicking and sharing awesome looking photos. Whether you want to send an important work email or track your exercise routine, your smartphone is just what you need.
Nevertheless, any modern Android phone would become significantly less useful, if not for the huge selection of useful apps. Apps are what make your phone so versatile and valuable. From securely storing all your login credentials to finding the directions to a new restaurant, mobile apps can let you accomplish almost anything. It isn’t surprising that there are more than 3 million apps on the Google Play Store (as of September 2020).
It is, however, worth mentioning that the sheer variety of apps available on the Play Store will leave you spoilt for choice. Installing too many unnecessary apps on your phone will slow it down and affect its performance. Also, many third-party Android apps are known to collect and harvest your personal data despite your selected privacy settings. While you need a few essential apps on your phone, you must check out each app’s ratings and reviews to find out whether it’s worth installing.
So, how can you go about selecting the right Android apps for your phone? In this blog, we’ve handpicked a few different types of apps that are a must for every Android phone. Let’s take a look.
1. Cloud Storage Apps
It’s 2020 and unless you’re living under a rock, you likely already know the amazing benefits of using cloud storage. Whether you want to send an important presentation to a client or just send pictures of a recent vacation to your parents, a cloud storage app is a must. The best part is that it lets you access vital data and information from any device of your choice.
Also, it saves you from the hassle of copying and pasting multiple files and exchanging USB drives or hard drives time and again. While Google Drive is the default cloud storage app you’ll find on Android phones, you can also install other apps such as DropBox and Microsoft OneDrive.
2. Video Conferencing Apps
The COVID-19 pandemic has made everyone realize the importance of smartphones all over again. In fact, the popularity of video conferencing apps has significantly skyrocketed during the pandemic. Whether you want to organize a formal business meeting or just a virtual meetup with your friends, you’ll find a video conferencing app that just fits your needs. Popular examples of such apps include Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Cisco Webex Meetings, etc.
3. Password Managers
From your bank account to your social media profiles, you likely have to keep a plethora of login details in your mind. It’s only natural to forget your Pinterest username or get confused between your PayPal and Instagram passwords. What if there was a way to securely store all your login credentials in one place? While you can always write them down in a diary, there’s the risk of misplacing it or losing it altogether.
A safer and more reliable alternative is to use a password manager app. Apart from storing all your login credentials, these apps also help you generate complex and hard to decode passwords. Commonly used password manager apps for Android include:
- LastPass Password Manager
- Google Smart Lock
- Enpass
- Password Safe
- BitWarden
4. Weather Apps
Whether you’re planning a family picnic or hosting an outdoor wedding, knowing how the weather is going to play out always comes in handy. The good news is that your Android phone can become your go-to weather assistant. All you have to do is install the right weather app. Apart from the current weather, these apps provide you with insightful hourly, weekly, and monthly weather forecasts.
Popular weather forecast apps for Android include AccuWeather, ClimaCell, Carrot Weather, Weather Underground, etc. One look at their websites will give you a glimpse of the sophisticated features and functionalities of these apps.
For instance, when you visit https://www.climacell.co/, you’ll find that their weather app provides you with a ton of valuable weather data including:
- Temperature
- Air quality
- Cloud cover
- Visibility
- Humidity
5. OTT & Streaming Apps
What do you do when you want to unwind after a hectic day at work? While there are plenty of ways to relax, you can always fetch some popcorn and binge-watch the latest TV shows on your favorite OTT platform. That’s why OTT apps are a must for every smartphone user. While you’ll find a plethora of streaming services and OTT and streaming apps on the internet, the most popular ones include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Crackle, Plex, etc.
What other apps do you think are essential for every smartphone? Share your recommendations in the comments section below.