I have been using Google Play Store for 10 years – these apps were good enough to keep

Ten years ago, Google wiped out all of its Android properties, including the Android Market, under the google play banner. Back then there were, according to Google, only 400,000 active Android users. Today the company claims 2.5 billion people have access to Google Play. App Tracking Site Statista Shows Android Market Overjumped 600,000 applications 10 years ago to more than three million applications today. The Google Play store is over 50% larger in the number of applications than the Apple App Store.

To commemorate the anniversary of this valuable Android app store, I decided to take a look at the apps installed on my current Android phone, one Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultraand determine which ones have been stalwarts on my device since the dawn of Google Play. These are the apps I’ve kept for 10 years:

Wave Live Wallpaper

Wave Live Wallpaper (opens in a new tab) (released: April 2012) is not the wallpaper I use all the time; It’s the wallpaper I use when I want to show off. Live wallpaper has been an Android gimmick dating back to the early days. Sure, it eats up a ton of battery, but when you want to impress your iPhone friends without saying a word, just let them take a look at the beautiful undulating waves of color and patterns that dance as you swipe past the home screens.

IMDB – The Internet Movie Database

I am constantly watching television and asking “Who is that? I know I saw them in something else.” That’s why IMDB (opens in a new tab) (released: June 2010) has been on my phone’s home screen for 10 years. It offers an extensive database of cast and crew from movies, TV shows, video games, and more. You can even bookmark specific episodes of a show to find guest stars. There’s always the IMDB website, but having a dedicated app makes it easy to log in and keep track of your favorite shows, remember your searches, and share what you’ve found.

hound

Hot on the heels of IMDB, hound (opens in a new tab) (released: June 2010) continually responds to my question “What song is this?” I keep a SoundHound widget on my phone’s home screen so I can quickly tap it while watching a commercial, or during a movie on the couch, to discern the title of that elusive tune. If you’re brave, you can even try humming SoundHound and it will do its best guess. Once you find your song, it’s easy to link it directly to your favorite music player to listen to it in its entirety.

Zillow

I’ll admit to a guilty pleasure: when I drive by and see a fascinating house, I check it out on Zillow (opens in a new tab) (released: March 2010). House on the side of a mountain? Check the latest sale price. That weird modern place that went up for sale? Zillow has the photos. I’ve also used Zillow to search for houses to buy and houses to rent, but I mainly use it to find out how much the only mansion in my neighborhood costs.

Couch to 5K

I couldn’t run a mile without stopping when I was in high school. I’m not sure what motivated me to try jogging again, but the Couch to 5K (opens in a new tab) app (released: March 2012) was very helpful, and I actually achieved the result of being able to jog 5 kilometers continuously without stopping. What helped me the most was that the app took control of my pace so I didn’t wear myself out trying to run too much in the first few days. By following the program, I actually worked my way up to the big/small race.

Libra – Weight Manager

Pound (opens in a new tab) (released: March 2010) is a very simple weight tracking app. Using Libra was the first time I saw my weight loss with a trend line attached to it and not just my weight as a simple graph. I’ve had numerous smart scales, fitness trackers, and health tracking services, and they all do what Libra can do, but keeping one app for tracking my weight has helped me switch between all the others, making sure I don’t miss my story

Untappd

my favorite social network is Untappd (opens in a new tab) (Launched: September 2011), not because I love beer that much (I’m a fan of craft beer), but because it’s a social network that does exactly what I want and nothing more. It helps me find beer, find friends who like beer, and share experiences. It doesn’t get political. It does not promote non-beer related news or products. It helps me track my history to remember what I liked and what I want to avoid. Seriously, if all social media could stay as focused and helpful, the world could be a better place.

A decade of innovation