One of the main complaints that iPhone users have is that Apple doesn’t really allow much freedom when it comes to using apps and integrating them with the phone hardware. There are way too many restrictions imposed by Apple and when you compare it with the level of customization allowed by Android, as well as the huge range of free and innovative Android apps in the Play Store, the difference is quite evident.
Here we have 20 super-cool apps that are only available in Android, and will make your iPhone friends turn green with envy:
20. Google Opinion Rewards (Free)
Holy schmoly! This sounds like money. And indeed it is. Google Opinion Rewards works in a simple way- you need to fill out some consumer surveys from Google, and in return, you will get Google Play Store Cash. Whenever a survey is ready, you get a notification…and you can easily get $1 just for filling it out! The questions are not a big deal- stuff like ‘Which logo is best?’ or ‘Which promotion is the most persuasive?’ or ‘When do you plan on travelling next?’
19. ADV Screen Recorder (Free)
Suppose you want to show your friends a certain function on your phone through a video, you cannot do it through your iPhone. ADV Screen Recorder, an android exclusive app, allows you to capture your phone screen to store for later use, and this does not involve any rooting complications.
18. Audify (Free)
Reading notifications while in the car is usually irritating and can prove to be dangerous also. The Audify app removes this headache by reading your notifications aloud. This is done through a connected speak or a wireless/wired headset. This app is based around the assumption that when you are in the car and have your headset in, then you would probably not be too keen to fumble around for your phone.
17. AppLock Face/Voice Recognition (Free)
This is a particularly cool app through which you can unlock your phone and access locked apps by using your face and voice. You have an option to select the apps to lock and unlock in AppLock Face/Voice Recognition, and there is a ‘liveness’ feature that requires you to move your face while using the app. This is to ensure that no one can hack the system by using photos.
16. Muzei Live Wallpaper (Free)
If you are an art enthusiast, then this awesome app is especially for you. Muzei is a live wallpaper that changes your home screen into famous works of art on a daily basis. The app seamlessly merges into the background with blurry, dim artwork that allows focus on the icons and widgets in the phone. You can choose your favorite photos from your personal albums or from other apps to use on your home screen.
15. Avast Mobile Security and Antivirus (Free)
The Google Play app store offers a lot of creativity and freedom to developers which allows them to come up with new, innovative apps. However, this aspect also has a downside- many malicious apps can make their way into the app store. However, with Avast Mobile Security, you have a complete antivirus solution to keep your phone protected. This app scans for and removes viruses, has an antitheft tracking feature, allows you to lock specific apps with a PIN, and you can even remotely snap a picture and record audio if someone steals your phone.
14. Light Flow (Free)
Does your phone use an LED light for notifications? Light Flow is here to make your life more colorful huzzah! This app lets you assign a specific color for receiving a text, email, phone call, calendar reminder, and also when your battery is running low.
13. Lux ($3.80)
There is a free version of this app too, but to unlock all the features, you have to pay a small fee. And guess what? The money is totally worth it! By using Lux, you can tweak the brightness on your phone beyond the default settings. You must have read several articles warning about the harm caused by bright screen light while using the phone at night. Well, through Lux, the brightness setting can be set to below the default zero. There is also a Night Mode feature, which can be turned on automatically at sunset.
12. Might Text (Free)
Many a times, when you are intensely focused on work, it is impossible to glance at your phone. Mighty Text allows you to send and receive SMS text messages with your computer or tablet and is also compatible with Gmail.
11. Cerberus (Free Trial)
This is simply the best antitheft app made till date, and goes way beyond than simply tracking down your device. You can control your phone using the website or through text message, sound an alarm in silent mode, wipe everything clean, lock the device through a code, record audio from the mic, view sent and received call, and hide the app itself so that the stupid thief cannot notice what’s going on.
10. AirDroid (Free)
Through this app, you can control your phone through your computer, and share files, texts, notifications etc between the two Android devices.
9. HoverChat (Free)
This is a new, unique app by which you can continue your texting conversation while simultaneously watching a movie or using another app. You can resize and make the messaging window as transparent as possible, and your customize your messaging as you deem fit. Again, this is an Android exclusive. In your face, Apple!
8. Cover (Free)
Sometimes, it is really annoying to wade through a sea of apps on your phone to actually use the one you are looking for. Cover senses whether you are at home, driving, or at work and accordingly puts the relevant apps used mostly during those times right on your lock screen for easy access.
7. Locale ($9.99)
Automation is the key to reducing human burden and Locale is just the perfect app that efficiently automates your phone based on your personal activity. Your phone is customized on the basis of your location, your call list, your battery life, orientation of the phone and so on. For instance, you can set up your phone to silence it simply by turning it over, or reduce the brightness when the battery life reaches 20%.
6. Google Sky Map (Free)
If you are a star gazer, this superb app will let you learn more about the celestial bodies out there just by pointing your phone upwards. You can see what constellation you are looking at and gain a lot of knowledge of what space is like.
5. Tasker ($2.99)
This is yet another automation app like Locale, although much cheaper. Through Tasker, you can create customized actions based on the app, time, day, location, event, widget, or shortcut. Moreover, there is even a built-in platform which can be used to create and sell your own app.
4. UCCW (Free)
UCCW enables you to design your own widget for your phone home screen. There are several skin options to create your own unique look using text, images, weather, clocks, calendar, battery info, missed calls, Gmail etc.
3. Unclouded (Free)
It can be quite a task maneuvering through different cloud storage options (such as Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive, Box, Mega) if you are signed up on all of them. Unclouded is a great, useful tool that lets you manage all your cloud drives at one place!
2. Drupe (Free)
Another wonderful app in the Play Store is Drupe, which allows you to manage all your contacts at one place. Through Drupe, you can look at ‘who’ you want to contact and then decide what mode should be used for contact- be it calling, text, Facebook message, Whatsapp etc.
1. Solid Explorer (14-day Free Trial, then $1.99)
Solid Explorer radically changes the way you explore your files on the phone by integrating with cloud services such as Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, One Drive etc. It can also connect to your Windows PC, as well as remote servers that work with FTP, SFTP and WebDav. The most commonly used archive formats- ZIP, RAR and 7ZIP- all can be created and extracted through Solid Explorer. With a slick design to boast and multifunctional features, you can arrange your photos, videos and music at one place for easy and quick access.