Sweet Sixteen: 16 Apps That Changed the Game in 2016

It would be fair to call 2016 the roller coaster year. There were new technologies introduced over and over again, all of which managed to easily sweep us off of our feet. The app world was no stranger to the technical advancements the world was making, making 2016 one of the best years for old and new apps to rejuvenate and emerge, giving people incentive to get up and socialize even more. With the new year right upon us, looking back at the apps that stood out in 2016 would just be fair. 2016 proved pundits who thought that mobile apps were dying because of the ‘same thing in different pants’ phenomenon which had been stagnating the growth for apps.

This list comprises of the top 16 apps which changed the game in 2016. They are either new apps or older apps which revamped themselves to gain a spot in the user’s phone storage:

1. POKÉMON GO: Whether or not you had this app installed in your phone, you surely did hear about Pokémon Go. Especially when people probably knocked at your door to catch that rare Snorlax at 3AM in the morning. Pokémon Go successfully managed to get everyone who had it installed off their couches and socialize with people in the form of Pokemeets, Poke Reunions, what not. We wouldn’t be surprised to know if somebody got married because of that app. Oh wait, it seems like they did. I hope she said “I Do” sorry we meant, “Pika Pika Chu!”

2. WAZE: Move over Google and Apple, (definitely Apple) maps, you have a tough competition. Waze was established in 2011, but in 2013 it was acquired by Google. (Google sure does have a knack for recognizing talent.) Waze takes in data from all over, be it construction sites, closed exits, traffic conditions and shortcuts and also where the cops are hiding! While these are amazing perks of having the app, we can’t use ‘getting stuck in traffic’ as an ‘excuse’ when we clock in late at work.

3. PANTONE STUDIO: Another hit of the year 2016 was the app launched by Pantone, also known as the World’s guide to color. Pantone has maintained an image of providing us with vivid color names with go much more beyond than just red, blue or green. Pantone Studio displaced the lagging older version myPantone. Collaborating with Rokkan, a digital design agency which designed the app gave color-addicts the dream of having almost every pantone shade possible in their hands. The app allows the user to extract colors from pictures, go through shade cards and give their eyes a visual treat while at it. Definitely a stunner.

4. SNAPCHAT: Don’t roll your eyes just yet! We’re pretty sure there is a filter for that too! Jokes apart, Snapchat, an app launched in 2011 was already ‘revolutionary’ with the concept of disappearing videos and pictures; it really established its footprint in 2016. Snapchat, famous for its dog filters and what not is not only an app meant for busy teenagers who want to record every moment of their lives, but it has also become a great source for marketing one’s business and even news! Who would have thought that from having a magazine cover filter all around your face would also provide you with the insight into your favorite celebrities lives?!

5. MEDITATION STUDIO: With all the chaos going around in the world, this app really hit the nail on its head. Meditation Studio, as the name suggests is a wonderful app to remind people and develop the habit of taking a few minutes off of one’s hectic lifestyle to get in-tune with oneself. They have a huge range of processes one can use if the shoe fits. Ranging from problems with sleep to anxiety and human-kind’s worst enemy, stress, Meditation Studio guides the user in a step-by-step method to take a break and feel lighter, conquering life each moment at a time.

6. PRISMA: Another smash-hit of 2016, Prisma, a photo-editing app stood out from the completion by throwing in fun and beautiful filters which can turn any picture or video to literal art! A selfie doesn’t remain a selfie anymore but seems to be a painting which can be compared to artworks by artists like Van Gogh, Picasso, even modern contemporary artists like Andy Warhol. Download it today to paint away the remaining of the year!

7. REMIXLIVE: Whether you know how to play an instrument or not, Remixlive helps you create music from scratch. The user gets the opportunity to record their own samples and loops. There are a lot of buttons which are designed to facilitate the inner musician in you. Music-making has never been easier.

8. SLACK: Instant messaging for the work-place. That’s exactly what the app Slack is about. With the rise of social media, most people have found it to be more comfortable to use a chat-room instead of directly approaching a person. It also helps you be more organized and avoids mixing your personal conversations with your professional lives by having an app just for your work-mates.

9. CALORIE COUNTER: Keeping a tab on your calorie count is somewhat a) impossible b) a really big hassle. You don’t want to do a scientific level research about how many calories your Orange Chicken and Garlic Fried Noodles had whilst bickering with the lady who served you being as uninformative as you. Calorie Counter just needs you to tell it what all you ate in a day and as the name suggests it counts the calories for you, which is a great indicative of how much you need to shed at the gym the next day.

10. WHATSAPP: It has been in the market some 7 odd years now. Starting from scratch, WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. Acquired by Facebook in February 2014 for a whopping 19 billion dollars, WhatsApp has undergone several changes overtime. In 2015, WhatsApp introduced Voice Calling to anybody with a WhatsApp account and a compatible phone, a feature Viber was once famous for. With people singing praises about this feature, WhatsApp included Video Calling too, making video-calls possible for everybody with the latest WhatsApp version and a compatible phone.

11. GOOGLE TRANSLATE: Google Translate is a Global Passport for anybody planning to explore the world. You can type in words and phrases, and take pictures of street signs which otherwise confuse you because of not being fluent in the language. This year, google advanced by giving android users eliminating the need to type a phrase to translate to the language one speaks by just tapping the screen and listening to the words a person speaks, saving the user time by being able to understand what the other person means quicker. It also gives apple users the benefit of learning by providing language packs, which work offline to help users learn the language while én route to their destination.

12. PAYTM: This app, however exclusive to India should be recognized for its amazing rise from the dead with the whole demonetization situation going on in India. Paytm, a mobile wallet is an app similar to Venmo. All the transactions are done via the app, without having to take out atm cards. With the Indian Government pushing its people to go mobile and cashless, Paytm can somewhat be seen as a savior with almost everyone in the country with a smartphone using the app. In latest news, tollways too are tying up with Paytm to give boost and movement to the cashless initiative taking place in India. Classic example of perseverance taking you places.

13. MINT: Don’t go by its name. Mint is actually a great app for anybody who is in the market to buy a house, fund their college education or even just save up money for their dream car. It pools in data from every income source and storage of the user and helps the user to keep a tab on each and everything related to their financial moves. Regular insights using colorful pie charts, bar charts and organized transaction details, Mint keeps its users interactive.

14. INSTAGRAM: This year, Instagram shocked social-media probably more than any other app. It all started with pictures not having to be limited to just a square frame, which was very exciting for all, but then it just went through a roller coaster of events which mind-boggled everybody but still won everybody’s hearts. Instagram introduced the zoom feature, one which users had been waiting for since forever. In the past couple months however, Instagram introduced the concept of Stories which vanish after 24 hours, pretty much like Snapchat, which did indeed raise a few eyebrows. But that’s alright, it still works for us!

15. BOOMERANG: Instagram’s spinoff app Boomerang’s mechanism is best understood when seen. Reminiscent of a GIF, Boomerang basically creates a one-second-moving video which looped playing forward and in reverse. Boomerang has been around since 2015, but it truly became accessible to all Instagram users as a feature while trying to make a story, instead of having to download the app differently.

16. HONEY: Honey is not an app, but a browser extension which has saved people money in 2016, big time. Honey looks for online coupon codes and discounts and prompts the buyer to apply

    Those codes when they are about to check out. If any of those codes work, the user can get a discount and snag a great deal. Honey is an extension definitely worth looking out for in the coming year.

    After all, who doesn’t love to save?!

APPS WORTHY OF NOTICE:

• UNTAPPD: Think about FourSquare for a minute, the much loved app that allowed you to check into restaurants and let your friends know what you have been munching on throughout the day. Now keeping that foundation in mind, think about an app which does the exact same thing, but for beer. Untappd is that app. Catering to hundreds of beer drinkers in the country, Untappd allows its users to check in, review and let people know about their whereabouts within the app. Drink Socially—the tag line of the app couldn’t be any more spot on.

• LYFT: In 2016, Lyft really leveled up to their competitors, Uber, by giving drivers the option to use Waze or Google Maps for navigation. The lyft navigation system was lagging because it was not able to provide real-time information to the drivers about traffic and construction sights. In cities like Chicago, in the year of 2014, Lyft navigation showed drivers to take a right on one-way left turn roads, which was really dangerous and caused the app some negative reviews. The collaboration with Google and Waze lets drivers be aware of such system lags.

Mobile Apps are constantly in the rat-race to be meaningful to the public. A good mobile app is an essential part for a business, but it has to be swoon-worthy and always changing according to the needs and preferences of people.

We here at BluEnt are master crafters to a level when it comes to making stellar, unique and lovable apps. Contact us today to find out what we can do for you and maybe your mobile app can make it to the list next year!

Maximum Value, Achieved.