It’s almost like we’ve all been sitting at home, stressed out all year. Oh, right. We have.
Also on Google’s list: Calmaria, which helps you calm down with coordinated breathing techniques, was its top “everyday essential” app. Best “app for fun” was Bazaart, a photo editing app that lets you replace the background of your photos with custom backgrounds and stickers — so you can pretend you’re in space or floating in the ocean, not just sitting at home in your pajamas.
Apple’s “best of” picks are based on “quality, creative design, usability, and innovative technology,” as well as “positive cultural impact, helpfulness and importance.” Apple’s App Store top free chart, which shows the most downloaded apps, includes Zoom (No. 1), TikTok (No. 2), Disney+ (No. 3), Amazon Shopping (No. 11) and DoorDash (No. 14).
Both Apple and Google noted the ways that apps were used for doing good in a year when health concerns, economic strife and racial injustices were all front-and-center. Both cited the United Nations’ ShareTheMeal app, which allows users to easily donate money to help feed others, as a popular example.
