The Google play store has so many apps that you are bound to miss out on some amazing ones. The speed at which Android has evolved over the past decade, the experience of using the OS has changed too. I’ve been using an Android device since the time of Android 2.1 and have tried all major versions; things have changed a lot.
With the change in technology, the apps change too. The apps that were once called the epitome of perfection are nowhere to be found these days. No matter how good it is, everything is replaced once we find something better. With that said, here are 5 once-popular Android apps that were the best in their respective class in the past but are forgotten today.
Dolphin Browser
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.mgeek.TunnyBrowser&hl=en”/]Five years ago, Dolphin was THE browser for Android. You know, before there was Chrome, there was Dolphin browser. Yes, that’s how old it is. It was the go-to browser for everyone. With then-unique features like themes, extensions, gestures, voice search, tabbed browsing, etc. Dolphin was having an epic run.
Dolphin browser is still around. But, with the presence of Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and UC browser, Dolphin has taken a back seat.
JuiceDefender
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.latedroid.juicedefender&hl=en”/]Battery life has always been an issue with Android. Although things are a lot better today, the same wasn’t the case a few years ago, especially if you had a low-end device. Those phones had terrible battery life, some requiring you to charge them twice or thrice a day. Yes, I had a low-end Android device in 2012 and it was terrible. So, what was the answer to this problem? JuiceDefender.
What’s happening with the app now? Well, not much. Although the app is still in the play store, it hasn’t been updated since 2012.
Astro File Manager
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.metago.astro&hl=en”/]Astro file manager was the most popular file explorer in the play store. But with the likes of ES Explorer and Solid Explorer entering the market, that’s not the case anymore. Sure, the app still receives the update, but I haven’t seen anyone using it for a long time. Especially, since phones, these days, come with a built-in file manager.
ADW Launcher
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.adw.launcher.one&hl=en”/]Ask anyone from the time of Android 2.1 which app they used to customize their device and the answer would be ADW launcher. ADW was what Nova is right now – the best option available.
ADW had so many options that you could make your device look and work the way you wanted. Sure, there were some other launchers like LauncherPro, but ADW was the king of customization.
So, what’s happening with the app now? Well, the developer stopped updating the app for some time, but he is back in action and is working on ADW 2. However, with Nova and Action launcher being around, I don’t think it will see the old success again.
Beautiful Widgets
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.levelup.beautifulwidgets.free&hl=en”/]Widgets have always been an integral part of Android. Beautiful widgets made widgets more powerful and useful by combining various things like clock and power toggles. It was one of the earliest Widget apps and gave you the power to customize the widgets and make them look and function the way you wanted.
According to the developer, Beautiful Widgets was the first paid app to cross a million downloads. The app is still available in the play store but hasn’t been updated in over a year.
With apps like KWGT being around, Beautiful Widgets has lost its charm.
Yes, Astro file manager was popular earlier and used it as well !