5 lesser-known Google apps I all the time set up on my Android telephone

Because the proprietor of the Android operating system, it is no shock that Google has revealed many a cell app onto its Play Retailer platform over time. Lots of Google’s premier providers, together with Gmail, Maps, and Chrome, are pre-installed on the vast majority of Android gadgets out of the field, owing to varied Google Play Companies agreements made with its OEM {hardware} companions.

Google can also be the writer of various lesser-known apps which can be listed on its Play Retailer web page, however that do not ship on Android by default (even on the corporate’s personal Pixel hardware). A few of these cell apps are experimental, whereas others are well-refined and of authentic utility. Listed here are 5 first-party Android apps from Google that I personally all the time set up when organising a brand new Android telephone or pill.

1

Gallery

A light-weight Google Photographs various

Most Android customers are acquainted with Google Photos, which is the corporate’s flagship picture gallery suite that provides cloud storage, AI-powered photograph group, and cross-device synchronization. Lesser identified is Gallery, which is a light-weight Google-built various for quick and handy offline photograph administration.

Gallery solely takes up about 15MB of storage, and it really works fully with out an web connection or any cloud-based subscription heckling. All of the necessities are current and accounted for, together with SD card help, computerized folder sorting, an auto-enhance picture possibility, and a full darkish mode.

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2

Google Authenticator

A simple strategy to streamline your two-factor authentication efforts

Pocket-lint / Google

There are a number of excellent two-factor authentication (2FA) functions obtainable to select from on Android, and Google’s personal Authenticator app is a very nice start line for these new to multifactor safety. Except for robotically syncing along with your Google Account, the app is straightforward and light-weight, with out requiring a subscription price or being tied with another paid service.

As with different 2FA apps, Google Authenticator enables you to scan a QR code to robotically enroll your accounts, after which a string of six digits will seem and refresh each few seconds. This added layer of safety makes it so that you’re much less prone to be hacked, even when your password is on the weaker side.

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3

Google Opinion Rewards

Reply fast surveys and obtain free Play Retailer credit score

Google Opinion Rewards is a free Android software from Google that works by surfacing quick surveys frequently. Every time you full a survey, you are rewarded with a small sum of Google Play Store credit score, which might be redeemed on apps, video games, motion pictures, TV exhibits, books, and different digital items.

Survey questions are usually easy to reply with out having to place a lot thought into them, and you may have your telephone notify you as quickly as a brand new survey is obtainable to finish. In fact, with Opinion Rewards, you are successfully exchanging privateness for Play Retailer credit, although Google does say that solutions are aggregated and shared with market researchers in an nameless style.

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4

Snapseed

A surprisingly feature-rich photograph modifying software

Snapseed is a Google-owned photo-editing application for Android, and it is all the time been one among my private favorites. The app is clear and easy from a consumer interface perspective, however appears might be deceiving: there is a dizzying variety of modifying choices obtainable to select from, starting from filters, to frames, to perspective changes, and all the pieces in between.

I’ve lengthy relied on Snapseed for fast picture touch-ups, and my fingers are crossed that Google will give the app a Material 3 Expressive visual overhaul within the close to future. Because it at the moment stands, the design is fundamental, but it surely will get the job accomplished with none frivolous AI gimmicks, adverts, or nagging about paid subscriptions.

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5

Motion Blocks

Leverage Google’s AI prowess by constructing out one-tap shortcuts

One of many extra attention-grabbing Google-published apps obtainable on the Play Retailer is called Motion Blocks. Powered by the Google Assistant, this app basically means that you can take frequent AI assistant features and remodel them into actionable buttons with the backing of a graphical consumer interface (GUI). Motion Blocks works considerably equally to shortcut apps like Apple Shortcuts and Tasker, but it surely presents an easier interface that focuses on extending accessibility to these with age-related situations, cognitive variations, and those that merely wrestle with (or cannot be bothered with) know-how.

You’ll be able to set Motion Blocks as much as carry out duties like ‘ship a message,’ ‘make a name,’ or ‘play music,’ and it will also be configured to learn phrases out loud on the contact of a button, reminiscent of ‘howdy, my title is’ and ‘please assist me with.’ In each occasion, the applying works like a attraction. The house display widgets are all well-designed, and so they slot in properly with the Android design language as a complete. Curiously, there isn’t any point out of Gemini AI help with this app — I think about Google will transition the app over to its newer AI service as soon as the older Assistant is absolutely phased out sooner or later.

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