7 pre-installed apps missing on Android

Main points

• Android needs more native apps to help improve the user experience.
• Here are 7 apps that iPhone users have that Google should seriously consider developing.
• Weather, compass and surveying are just a few examples.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about booting up a great new Android phone for the first time and enjoying a clean, bloat-free experience. I’ve long criticized OEMs and mobile operators for pre-installing apps and services on brand new devices that users never asked for.

That being said, I also believe that a solid set of built-in apps is crucial to rounding out the usefulness of the platform. While some may argue that the calculator, notes, and voice memo apps are nothing more than unnecessary bloat, I see them as signs of the operating system’s maturity. Despite its flaws, the iPhone has a wealth of apps that cover most of the basics. The situation is worse for Android phones, with different manufacturers like Samsung working piecemeal on their own utilities.

While some may argue that the calculator, notes, and voice memo apps are nothing more than unnecessary bloat, I see them as signs of the operating system’s maturity.

I’ve put together a list of apps that I’d like to see Google itself make available across the Android ecosystem.

1 Google’s version of Apple shortcuts

No, Tasker is not the answer

Apple’s Shortcuts app is so powerful that it’s also brought to the Mac. It allows you to automate certain tasks and makes doing so quite easy. You can use it to do everything from combining pictures or creating animated GIFs, to automatically sending messages at specific locations or connecting to third-party apps to further automate tasks on your phone.

A popular solution that already exists in the Android world is the Tasker app. While it’s undoubtedly powerful and flexible, it’s paid software and has an interface available that’s far from the most user-friendly.

Some Android OEMs like Samsung have built their own solutions, but I’d love to see Google try this feature. If anyone can simplify a somewhat complex idea into an easily usable package for the masses, it’s Google.

2 A compass to keep you grounded

Wait, isn’t this available yet?

This is a simple one. Most Android phones have a built-in magnetometer, but few OEMs have dared to develop a compass app to take advantage of the sensor. An interface can give you a sense of true northing and current elevation, but you don’t expect to need it until you actually need it.

There are tons of third-party compass apps on the Play Store, but I’m sure Google could build a visually appealing native app that would satisfy most people’s needs.

3 An app for measuring things

It will come in handy sooner or later

There are many situations, from posting a photo to building a piece of furniture, where a leveling tool or tape measure might come in handy. Turns out, you probably carry one in your pocket all day long.

I know I’ll appreciate the simple built-in version with the Material You theme, and I bet others will too.

As with compass apps, you can find plenty of third-party options on the Google Play Store. I know I’ll appreciate the simple built-in version with the Material You theme, and I bet others will too.

4 rain? Snow?We need a weather app

Links to Google apps don’t solve the problem

It’s worth noting that the out-of-the-box weather experience on Android isn’t a standalone experience, but a shortcut to a section within the Google app. The interface and information provided are great, but it really should be an app that can be launched directly from the app drawer. Currently, you can manually create a home screen shortcut to check the weather, which feels disjointed at best.

The same goes for financial updates and sports scores. These are just components of the wider Google Apps and would benefit from expansion into their own standalone experiences. Ideally, I’d like to see Google develop dedicated finance and sports apps, but I think weather is the service that users would benefit the most from streamlined access.

Most Android phone manufacturers have built their own weather apps these days, so Google is definitely catching up.

5 Google Password Manager – Passwords are a hassle

Where is it located?

Like Google’s weather interface, the search giant’s password manager has become unnecessarily complicated to interact with. You’ll need to dig into your phone’s settings and create a home screen shortcut to launch the interface.

Why not make this feature available as a standalone app? This will increase discoverability and be very convenient for users. I’m often surprised how few people know this feature is available on their phones. Easier access to your saved passwords doesn’t have to cause security concerns, either. Simply lock the app behind biometric authentication or a PIN to ensure your sensitive information isn’t stolen by others.

To be fair, the iPhone’s built-in password manager suffers from the same problem. However, you can create an app icon through the Shortcuts app that goes directly to your passwords – just like it was a native app.

6 Music player for when you have no signal

YouTube Music is not the home for local music playback

The Android platform does have its own audio player – YouTube Music. The problem is that this app is terrible at playing local sound files. I get it, most of us play music these days, and YouTube Music is a serious competitor to Apple Music and Spotify. But none of this should come at the expense of basic features like local file playback.

None of this should come at the expense of basic features like local file playback.

The functionality is there, but from a user interface perspective it’s clearly pushed to the side and treated like a second-class citizen. It also confuses users – who in their right mind would launch an app with “YouTube” in its name to play a locally stored .mp3 file on their phone?

Unfortunately, Google is moving towards integration, bringing more features to the YouTube Music app. In addition to the current venues for local music, podcasts will continue to be played here. The company is launching its dedicated app, a simple, lightweight and full-featured portal to the world of podcasts.

7 A video editor that even mom can use

Android deserves its own Windows Movie Maker moment

Android devices increasingly find themselves being used as productivity machines rather than strictly content consumption devices. Google Workspace provides users with basic tools for word processing, slideshow and spreadsheet creation. Google Photos has a reasonable set of image editing tools available. Missing from this list are basic video editing apps. Apple has iMovie, Microsoft has ClipChamp, and now it’s time for Google to develop similar products.

I hope Google builds a solution that’s very basic and easy to use and doesn’t step on the toes of third-party products. Apps like the popular Luma Fusion provide the powerful toolkit a video editor needs for more professional purposes. Google can effectively fill this gap by providing lightweight and easy-to-use packages for casual users.