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PhoneArena Awards 2015: Best apps of the year

By PhoneArena team

Updated: Dec 18, 2015, 8:43 AM

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PhoneArena Awards 2015: Best apps of the year

Well, guys, 2015 was yet another great year for smartphones. Maybe we didn't see the first-ever bajillion-core processor, but we got to see the first in years super-shiny Samsung flagship, the pressure-sensitive 3D Touch display of the iPhone 6s, and a 4K display adorning the front of a smartphone – the Xperia Z5 Premium.

But what are smartphones, if they are not filled to the brim with great innovative content from the App Store and Play Store? Well, hypothetically, they could still be pretty useful tools, but let's not get literal here. This past year, we saw quite a bit of cool, interesting, or just plain well-working apps get released. And while Google and Apple both did their own selection of best 2015 apps on the Play Store and App Store, we thought we'd go ahead and comb through our own favorite downloads for the past 12 months.

We tried being concise, but hey – apps are aplenty! So, in no particular order, let's check them all out!

Apps available on both iOS and Android

Ever since its inception, Google's Store has managed to easily overtake Apple's App store in terms of a sheer number of apps available for download. This is hugely thanks to Google's lax rules on what apps are acceptable, and because of Android being much more accessible for both developers and consumers. So, despite the fact that the iOS store still leads in revenue, app makers can't ignore Android lightly, and apps are usually developed for both platforms, often even launching on Android and iOS at the same time. Here are the best new apps from 2015, which are currently available on the Play Store and App Store.

Best Android apps of 2015

Despite both Android and iOS being hugely popular, some developers still prefer to keep their apps exclusive to one platform or the other, or just take a lot of time to port them over. There are a lot of Android tools out there that just can't work on iOS, due to its restrictive nature, so they remain firmly planted on Play Store grounds. Such apps will enhance your notifications, let you place reminders in more visible places, or expand on the user interface by placing floating bubbles or overlays on top of it. Here are the best new apps from 2015, which are currently available on the Play Store.

Best iOS apps of 2015

Of course, when it comes to platform-exclusivity, a lot of developers choose to just keep their apps on Apple's platform. The reason for this is quite simple – there are a lot less devices to worry about, and the rules are much more clear-cut. Of course, it has become a bit harder for developers, when Apple introduced extra screen sizes and continues to support 4 year-old devices, but it's generally simpler to keep up with all iPhones and iPads, than with the millions of Android smartphones out there.

Best Windows Phone apps of 2015

Being the little guy in the group, Windows Phone is still mostly playing catch-up in terms of apps. Most of the new software that comes out for it has been available on Android and iOS for quite a while, and even Microsoft isn't shy about releasing its own apps to the rivals' platforms as soon as they launch on the Windows Store. Still, we are happy to see the platform is yet to give up, and the newly announced Lumia 950 and 950 XLmay inject some fresh interest into Microsoft's mobile operating system.