Google has revealed the applications in the running to be crowned next month as the best when it comes to offering quality on Google Play.
In what has now become a tradition before I/O, Google’s annual developer conference which usually takes place in May, the awards seek to recognize and reward “developers that continue to set the bar for quality apps and games on Google Play”.
This year, spread out in 9 categories and selected by various teams at Google, are 45 apps that will be hoping top their respective categories come May 6th when the winners will be revealed just as Google I/O 2019 gets underway in San Francisco.
The list includes everything from one of the best games to launch last year, Gameloft’s Asphalt 9: Legends to this streaming app that I fell in love with in 2018.
It also includes some controversial choices. PicsArt, one of the best photo-editing apps on the Play Store as exhibited by its 130 million strong monthly active users, was recently sued by photo-editing app maker VSCO for allegedly reverse-engineering some of its filters from VSCO’s filters.
Here is the whole list of the nominees:
Best Accessibility Experience
- Envision AI by Envision Technologies BV
- guiaderodas accessibility by guiaderodas
- Race Together! By digiXMAS
- TintVision by EM-Creations
- WheeLog! By PADM
Best Social Impact
- Bury me, my Love by Dear Villagers
- Plantix by PEAT GmbH
- Reblood by PT Gaya Hidup Sehat
- Think!Think! By Hanamaru Lab
- Wisdo by Wisdo Ltd
Most Beautiful Game
- Asphalt 9: Legends by Gameloft SE
- Badland Brawl by Frogmind
- Chuchel by Amanita Design
- Gorogoa by Annapurna Interactive
- Shadowgun Legends by MadFinger Games
Best Living Room Experience
- Neverthink by Neverthink
- Pluto TV by Pluto, Inc.
- Tubi by Tubi TV
- Viki by Viki, Inc
Most Inventive
- Cube Escape: Paradox by Rusty Lake
- Firework by Loop Now Technologies, Inc
- Scripts by Language Drops
- Tick Tock by Other Tales Interactive
- Wysker by wysker GmbH
Standout Build for Billions Experience
- Canva by Canva
- Cookpad by Cookpad Inc (UK)
- Garena Free Fire by Garena International
- PicsArt Photo Studio by PicsArt
- Viki by Viki, Inc
Best Breakthrough App
- Dave by Dave, Inc
- Khan Academy Kids by Khan Academy
- Notion by Notion Labs, Inc
- Slowly by Slowly Communications Ltd
- Tasty by BuzzFeed
Best Breakthrough Game
- Garena Free Fire by Garena International
- Old School RuneScape by Jagex Games Studio
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery by Jam City, Inc
- Marvel Strike Force by FoxNext Games
- Star Trek Fleet Command by Scopely
Last year, mobile lending app Tala, which ranks as one of the top financial services apps in the country, made it to the list even though it did not win. This year, no “local” app made the list.
Did your favourite app make the list?
You can view all the above-listed apps and, probably, download them from this dedicated Play Store page.
