The Play Store has all the basic app categories covered. There are apps for messaging, sharing photos, shopping, managing your phone, browsing the web, watching a video, and so much more. That doesn't mean someone can't come along and release an app that does those things better, though. 2017 has been a good year for apps, but it would take too long to check out all the great stuff that came out. So, here are the five best apps to hit Android in the last year.
DATALLY
This new Google app aims to make sure you don't go over your monthly data allotment. There are tools in the Android system settings to do many of the same things, but Datally makes it all easier to manage, and it includes a few additional features.
When you install the app, it plugs into the system data tracking so it has information for you right away. Datally breaks down data usage by day and app so you can see what's been using the most data. Datally's most powerful feature is an enhanced version of the data saver already hidden away in your phone's settings.
When you want to make sure you aren't using too much data, simply toggle on data saver in this app (there are switches on pretty much every screen). That prevents background apps from eating up your bytes by blocking them with an on-device VPN (Google says it doesn't see your data, though). The app in the foreground can use data, but a small floating bubble reminds you how many bytes it has used in the current session. Data-hungry apps can also be blocked completely, even if you open them by accident. Datally is your one-stop-shop for saving on mobile data, and it's free.
Lawnchair Launcher
Google's Pixel phones come with the Pixel Launcher, but other phones have much less attractive and useful default home screens. You can swap in a new launcher, but most of the good ones cost money. Lawnchair Launcher came out this year, and it won't cost you a penny (unless you want to donate). It's designed to look and work a lot like the Pixel Launcher—it even has Google Feed integration.
Lawnchair Launcher has the Pixel-style swipe-up app drawer, and the search bar on the home screen includes multiple theme options plus an optional Assistant button. App icons, the dock, and more elements are also fully customizable. The Google Feed is accessible with a swipe to the left so long as you install the add-on app (this is the same method used by apps like Nova).
This launcher is also open source so you can expect it to get a lot of development attention going forward. It's completely free and has no ads.
Notification History Log
Android's notifications have always been very good, and they only get better as time goes on and Google adds more features. However, what if you swipe away a notification accidentally before reading it? Notification History is here to help. This simple app plugs into your notifications to archive them, but it comes with a number of features that make it more capable than past notification managers I've tried.
Notification History plugs into the notification listener service allowing it to read all the text apps add to the notification shade. The app does not have permission to access the internet, so it can't send your notification text anyplace even if it wanted to. You can also limit the size of your notification log and blacklist apps so it doesn't contain all your messages forever.
You can tap on any notification in your log to see the expanded text, as well as info about the app that produced the notification. You can also swipe to remove notifications. However, that feature and several others require a pro upgrade. That's $3.49 via in-app purchase.
Motion Stills
Another new Google app from the last year, Motion Stills lets you capture short videos with eerily good image stabilization. This app grew out of a project at Google Research, but the finished product is quite polished. Just press the capture button to record a short three-second video, and the app instantly encodes a smoothed version.
You can turn the stabilization on and off, and there's a loop button to make your GIF appear to play forever. You don't have to save as a GIF, though. The full video can also be exported. You can also stitch multiple clips together. Motion Stills is an impressive bit of coding, and it's free.
Firefox Focus
A lot of browsers cram in all the features possible, but they don't pay a lot of attention to privacy. Firefox Focus is about privacy first and foremost. This browser blocks all ads and trackers, making pages load faster and preserving your privacy.
When you open Focus, it shows you a URL bar, and that's it. Enter a search or address, and the page loads noticeably faster than it does in most other browsers. In the overflow menu, Firefox Focus shows you how many trackers it blocked. You can allow trackers temporarily if blocking them breaks something on the page.
When you're don, Focus saves zero histories of your activities like cookies or URLs. There's even a button at the bottom of the UI that immediately closes your tabs and deletes all data. It's like a browser self-destruct. This app is an essential companion for any Android user, and it's free.
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