6 Android apps which are so slick, I assumed Googl...

With regards to the Android operating system, there are a staggering variety of cellular functions on the market to select from. These apps can be found to obtain from throughout a variety of sources, together with the Google Play Retailer, the free and open-source F-Droid storefront, the Amazon App Retailer, the Samsung Galaxy Retailer, and others.

As with different platform holders, Google publishes and maintains up-to-date pointers on how Android apps ought to look and behave. This consists of a number of visible issues: consumer interface buttons, toggles, sliders, menus, context menus, and extra. The aim is to create a coherent design language that extends throughout third-party apps, and to foster a singular identification for Android apps as an entire.

No matter the place you get your apps from, one factor is obvious: not all Android apps are created equal. Specifically, many cross-platform apps (significantly social media and streaming providers) neglect Google’s UI pointers, leading to a disjointed end-user expertise. Fortunately, there are many wonderful apps that do faucet into the Materials Design language, whether or not it’s Android 12-era Materials You or Android 16-era Material 3 Expressive. Listed below are six of my private favorites.

1

Gramophone

YouTube Music would not even come shut

So far as native music playback apps are involved, the Android OS is dwelling to a few of the highest choices in the marketplace. I’ve examined quite a few old-school music gamers over time, and Gramophone is way and away my present favourite. The app makes good use of Google’s Materials You theming, with dynamic coloration tinting, the distinctive squiggly progress bar additionally present in Android’s native music mini participant, and playful animations. It is simple to parse via tracks through a variety of sorting choices, and you may dive proper into the file system for a extra hands-on expertise, too. Gramophone is a completely free app, with an open-source code base besides.

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2

Compass

One of the best compass app availble for Android

Shockingly, Google is but to construct its personal native compass or degree instrument app for Android. Most third-party telephone makers have taken issues into their very own palms, however trendy Pixel telephones nonetheless do not present a user-facing app for accessing coordinates, altitude, magnetism, and different helpful metrics. Fortunately, Compass has you lined. Other than providing stunning and clear visuals that appear and feel native to the Android platform, there’s an expertly crafted implementation of haptic suggestions all through the app that brings the entire expertise collectively in a sophisticated trend. Compass is offered for a small price on the Play Retailer, and the app itself is totally ad-free.

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3

Inware

Discover your Android’s specs

There are a selection of Android apps on the market that may floor helpful {hardware} and software program gadget specs, however my private favourite must be Inware. It follows Google’s Materials You theming to a tee, with wonderful group of knowledge and a extremely approachable dwelling web page with giant iconography. I significantly benefit from the app’s bespoke font, which appears nice and offers a splash of persona to the combination. Gadget metrics displayed by Inware embody information regarding the system, {hardware}, reminiscence, digital camera, community, connectivity, battery, and media digital rights administration (DRM) standing. The app is totally free to make use of, with no adverts or in-store puchases to talk of.

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4

Wavelet

The equalizer instrument that Google by no means made

Regardless of there being some wonderful options, Wavelet continues to be my Android equalizer (EQ) software of alternative. The app makes it straightforward to regulate bass, treble, channel acquire, channel stability, launch time, assault time, and extra. There is a useful graphic equalizer web page with varied presets obtainable to select from, and a outstanding on / off button is one thing I enormously admire. Better of all, Wavelet totally embraces Google’s Materials design language, all the way down to Materials 3 Expressive’s wonderful new slider design. The app itself is free, however a one-time Professional buy is required to unlock extra options like reverberation, equal lludness, and the bass tuner.

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5

Counters

You possibly can rely on this app to maintain tally

A primary counter app is the form of factor which may not appear significantly helpful at first look, however it may be a lifesaver in a pinch. There are a ton of use circumstances that crop up in my very own day-to-day life that warrant a fast tally, and the Counters app excels at all-things rating maintaining. The app embraces Materials You design pointers, making for a visually pleasing and easy-to-use app interface. All of the necessities are right here: you’ll be able to set a number of counters, you’ll be able to have the counters reset robotically, and you may title and coloration coordinate every tracker. Better of all, the app is totally free with no commercials, and it could possibly sync with Android’s Well being Join framework, too.

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6

Everplan

Monitor your bills in type

If Google have been to construct its personal expense tracker app for Android, I might invision it to appear and feel rather a lot like Everplan. Printed by the identical builders behind the wonderful Lumolight and Groovy apps for Android, Everplan allows you to maintain tabs in your financial institution balances, subscription charges and due dates, and different recurring charges. The app adopts a stunning Materials You aesthetic, full with dynamic coloration tinting and iconography, and the interface itself is straightforward and minimalistic. There is a good graph visualizer on supply right here, in addition to an choice to create distinctive expense classes to raised replicate your personal funds. Everplan is free to obtain and set up, with a one-time price required to take away all adverts.

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