APPS SPECIAL....... The 50 Best Apps of the Year (1)

APPS SPECIAL The 50 Best Apps of the Year (1)

We're increasingly reliant on the smartphones in our pockets to keep in touch with friends, watch movies and TV shows, and get work done, among other tasks. But the phones themselves would be meaningless without the software that, almost like magic, imbues them with new powers even their creators never thought possible.

In that spirit, these are TIME's 50 best iPhone and Android apps of the year. These are apps that were either released, had a notable redesign, or took off in popularity this year. The list is unranked, as the different functionality of each app makes them impossible to fairly compare. What did we miss?

Venmo

iPhone and Android, Free

It's rare that a company or an app gets "verbified" the way Google did. That's exactly what's happening with money-sending app Venmo, especially among cash-allergic millennials. "Just Venmo me" is an increasingly common refrain at brunch or the bar when it's time to split the check.

Messages

iPhone, Free

Why include Apple’s default messaging service in this list? Because Messages got a major overhaul in iOS 10, the company’s new iPhone software update. Messages is now a feature-rich messaging platform, complete with third-party apps, stickers, and fun graphic effects like confetti and laser beams. All the new functionality puts it leagues ahead of regular old SMS texting.

Signal

iPhone and Android, Free

Which messaging app should you use when you really want to make sure your chats stay secret? Try Signal, an encrypted chat app used by politicians, businesspeople and whistleblowers worldwide. Signal offers complete end-to-end encryption, meaning the company behind the app can’t see what you’re sending and receiving. And it works with your existing contact book, so long as both parties have Signal installed.

Snapchat

iPhone and Android, Free

Sure, Snapchat first came out in 2011, but it certainly came into its own this year — especially with the app's "Chat 2.0" revision in March 2016. With that update, the free disappearing video messaging app laid the groundwork for all sorts of killer features, from geofilters to facial lenses. As a result, Snapchat has not only become one of the most fun apps of the year, but it's turning into a real business, too.

Pokémon Go

iPhone and Android, Free

The super-powered creatures that triggered a worldwide craze in the 90's have finally reached the smartphone era. Immediately upon launching in July, Pokémon Go became a massive sensation among seemingly anyone who owned a smartphone. The game tasks players with physically exploring the real world to capture new Pokémon creatures, engaging in battles to claim gyms, and collecting items. It also uses your phone's camera to make it seem like critters from the game are appearing in your actual surroundings. By cleverly using the technology in our smartphones and tapping into a wildly beloved franchise, game developer Niantic created a smash hit.

WhatsApp

iPhone and Android, Free

In the seven years that WhatsApp has existed, it's become one of the most widely used communication tools in the world. The Facebook-owned app initially gained popularity because it works on most smartphones and provides a cheaper alternative to SMS for sending messages around the globe. After conducting a survey this April that included 187 countries, research firm SimilarWeb found that WhatsApp was the messaging app of choice in 55% of the world. Earlier this year, the company announced that it surpassed the one billion user milestone, meaning one in every seven people in the world now use WhatsApp.

NPR One

iPhone and Android, Free

Unless you drive often, you probably don't have easy access to an AM/FM radio. Which means it's hard to find public radio, a great source of news, knowledge and new music. NPR's new NPR One app can help — it's basically a customizable public radio station that learns what shows you like and what topics you're interested in, building a more personal feed over time. You can also use it to listen to NPR podcasts on demand, like Planet Money and the NPR Politics Podcast.

Alex Fitzpatrick,Mandy Oaklander,Lisa Eadicicco,John Patrick Pullen,Matt Peckham,Dan Hirschhorn,Merrill Fabry