The best Android apps of 2015
What with the increasing choice of apps in the Google Play Store it can be difficult to see the wood for the trees. That’s why we've put together this helpful list of the top 15 Android apps of 2015. We hope you enjoy the apps you find in the list below. Happy downloading!
Twickets
About the app
The Twickets app allows users to sell spare tickets to gigs or key events. Unlike other ticket websites where prices spiral out of control, Twickets sets limits, ensuring that tickets can only be sold for their original price or less. To browse the tickets available for sale, all you need to do is sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account. Twickets accepts payment via credit/debit card or via PayPal. As a buyer, Twickets also makes sure that your rights are protected: if you don’t receive the ticket/tickets you purchased, you will be given a full refund. Twickets is the ideal app for last minute ticket buyers.
Twickets in action
Download the Twickets app
- To download the Twickets app, click here.
- To learn more about the Twickets app, click here.
VLC Media Player
About the app
The VLC media player is one of the best video players on the market. This media player is capable of decoding and playing a wide variety of video formats from YouTube videos downloaded to your hard drive to newly bought DVDs. If you love downloading and watching videos on your Android device, the VLC Media Player is one of the best media players on the market.
The VLC Media Player in action
Download VLC Media Player for Android
WhatsAppAbout WhatsApp
WhatsApp is one of the best messaging apps available on Android. This app allows you to send messages, videos and photos to one or more selected friends. Rather than being charged per message or photo, WhatsApp lets you message your family and friends for free using a WiFi or mobile network.
Using WhatsApp
- Click here to download WhatsApp from the Google Play Store.
- To learn more about WhatsApp, browse through pcmag's helpful guide.
IFTTT
About the app
The IFTTT acronym stands for If this then that. This app allows you to set up commands (thought the use of an if this then that premise,) for your device to follow. To illustrate: perhaps you want all of your new photos to be uploaded to one account or another. Simply enter the command that if you capture a new photo, then it is automatically uploaded to the sharing network of your choice.
IFTTT in action 
Read about and download IFTTT
- To download IFTTT from the Google Play Store, click here.
- To learn more about IFTTT, read makeuseof’s ultimate IFTTT guide.
Vine
All about Vine
The Vine app allows you to record and loop short videos and share them on your social media accounts. Whilst Vine has been available for a little while, it has only recently become freely available on Android devices, due to the fact that the designers had to iron out a few persistent glitches. As well as letting you film, edit and loop your own videos the Vine app also lets you browse through other people’s creations.
Using Vine
Download Vine for Android
- Click here to download the Vine app for Android devices.
- Click here for more information on how to use Vine on an Android device.
Skyscanner
About Skyscanner
The Skyscanner app allows you to access information on air flight prices from all around th world. By using this app you can compare prices across numerous companies, saving your hard-earned cash in the process. As well as helping you find a bargain price flight, you can also purchase flight tickets directly through the Skyscanner app. If you love travelling and you’re always on the lookout for a bargain, this is the app for you.
Skyscanner in action
Skyscanner: download link and information
- Click here to download the Skyscanner app from the Play Store.
- Watch this video to learn more about the Skyscanner app.
Google Goggles
The Google Goggles app
The Google Goggles app allows you to take pictures of and identify paintings, photos and buildings. To illustrate: perhaps, on visiting a museum, you spot a picture or a photo you particularly like. You can then use the Google Goggles app to search online for further information on the same picture or, perhaps, for a more affordable, commemorative copy! Google Goggles can also help you identity (and learn information about) famous landmarks and buildings which is ideal if you’re touring an unknown town or city.
The Google Goggles app in action
- Check out this video on Google Goggles.
Download Google Goggles for Android
- Click here to download the Google Goggles Android app.
- Don't know where to begin with Google Goggles? Read WikiHow's helpful guide.
SwiftKey Keyboard
About the app
The SwiftKey keyboard app has been designed to make typing on your Android device quick, easy and efficient. The SwiftKey app comes with a number of customization options, allowing you to make you keyboard your own. SwiftKey also uses the equivalent of predictive text to improve the efficiency of your typing, whilst remembering the words, phrases and names you tend to use most often.
Using the SwiftKey app
Download SwiftKey
- Download the SwiftKey keyboard app.
- CNET's guide to the SwiftKey app.
Snapseed
About Snapseed
Snapseed is a photo editing app that comes with a set of tools to help you get the most out of your photos: add filter effects to your pictures to change the overall mood or crop them so that you can create an effective online collage or social media avatar.
Snapseed in action
Spotify
About Spotify
The Spotify app allows you access to thousands of songs by the latest artists on your Android device. The playlists streamed by the free version of Spotify are often interrupted by ads, however this doesn’t take away from the overall quality of the app. If you love listening to music on the move it may be worth considering buying the premium version of Spotify, (which gives you access to a greater number of features.)
Spotify in action
- Watch Spotify in action here.
Download Spotify for Android
- To download the free version of Spotify from the Google Play Store, click here.
- Check out these 35 Spotify tips and tricks.
Prey Anti Theft
About this app
The Prey Android app has been designed to protect your laptop, tablet and/or smartphone from theft. If your tablet or phone is lost or stolen, this app will help you locate it geographically, whilst locking the data on it so that it can't be accessed by the thief. This app also lets you activate a remote alarm, a feature which may draw unwanted attention to the thief and force them to leave the phone or tablet behind. This app has been featured on a number of major TV channels and users have praised its ability to accurately track the geographical location of a device.
The Anti Theft app in action
- Learn how to get started with Prey Anti Theft here.
Learn about and download the Prey app
- To download the Prey Anti Theft app from the Google Play Store, click here.
- Read more about the Prey app on the Prey blog.
Pushbullet
About Pushbullet
The Pushbullet app connects your phone to your computer, letting you access all of your phone's notifications and incoming calls on your laptop. If your job requires you to spend a great deal of time on your laptop, this app will let you see beforehand who is trying to text, call or contact you, giving you the time to reply to (or ignore) the notifications accordingly.
Using the Pushbullet app
- Check out this Pushbullet review.
Download Pushbullet
- Download the Pushbullet app for Android.
- WikiHow's guide to using the Pushbullet app.
Link Bubble Browser
The Link Bubble app
Rather than clicking on a link on a social networking app and being redirected to a loading page, Link Bubble browser opens the link you want to see behind the app you’re already using. Whilst you're limited to opening one link at a time when using the free version of the app, the premium version lets you open multiple links at once. In effect, this Android app does for your Smartphone what Windows did for laptops and computers. Link Bubble was featured in Google Play’s 2014 list of the best apps on the market today.
Link Bubble in action
- An interactive guide to the Link Bubble browser.
Download the Link Bubble Browser app
- To download Link Bubble from the Google Play Store, click here.
- Learn more about Link Bubble here.
reTXT
About reTXT
Most of us have been there: you compose and send a text only to find that you've made a mistake or, that you've sent it to the wrong person. The reTXT app has been deigned to eliminate any (and all) text-based worries by allowing you to change, edit and delete your texts <b<after</b> you've sent them. reTXT's messaging service also makes group chats possible.
reTXT in action
Download and discover
Phonograph Music Player
About the Phonograph Music Player
The Phonograph Music Player is an aesthetically pleasing app which helps you navigate easily through your music collection. As well as looking good, this app has also been designed with efficiency in mind: song and playlist controls are just a click away, allowing you to select tunes quickly and replay your favourites. Like most of the other music players on the app market, the Phonograph Music Player automatically recognises the name of a particular artist, album or song, proceeding to fill in any (and all) missing information.
The Phonograph Music Player in action
- See the Phonograph Music Player in action here.
Download the Phonograph Music Player
- Download the Phonograph Music Player app from the Google Play store.
