There have been some stellar apps and providers that have been launched this 12 months and I can wholeheartedly agree with each single one of many winners on this checklist.
I’m a bit biased right here, however I’m an enormous Spotify fan. I’ve tried YouTube Music and Apple Music, however frankly, neither of them actually meets my wants in addition to Spotify does. The app this 12 months additionally has one among my favorite end-of-year options “Spotify Unwrapped” and this 12 months it built-in a variety of AI to offer me extra data on my listening habits!
I’ll say that whereas Netflix is the king of streaming providers there are lots of others on the market with nice exhibits. However after all, there can solely be one winner and we picked Netflix! There are a variety of nice exhibits and it is extremely entertaining, to not point out that the streaming large can also be moving into the world of reside TV, which we suspect will broaden over the subsequent 12 months.
Lastly, we could not end this checklist with out speaking about the most effective Android app: Gemini. Google outdid itself with a very outstanding app and it is one the AC Employees has been very enthusiastic about utilizing.
Congrats to all of the winners!
After all, this is what a few of my colleagues, Derrek Lee, Patrick Farmer, and Namerah Saud-Fatmi must say in regards to the winners,
Finest music streaming service: Spotify
Derrek Lee: We simply can’t give up you, can we? Spotify continues to be not solely our favourite music streaming service however, apparently, everybody else’s too. Simply in November, the corporate reported that it has 252 million subscribers, up 12% from the earlier 12 months. It additionally has greater than 640 million month-to-month energetic customers, which is up 11% from final 12 months. So why will we love Spotify a lot?
The streamlined UI simply makes it impressively simple to hearken to the music you’re keen on and uncover new tracks. And whereas Spotify has but to introduce its long-awaited Hello-Fi tier, the corporate continues so as to add and check new options to remain forward of the sport, akin to personalised AI-generated playlists that allow you to inform it what you need to hearken to. It additionally added a cheaper base plan for customers who don’t want entry to audiobooks.
It was a fairly good 12 months for Spotify, however we hope 2025 might be an amazing 12 months for audiophiles who await higher-quality listening. Optimistically, we’ll lastly get that “Tremendous Premium” plan we’ve been listening to about.
Runner-up: YouTube Music
In the meantime, YouTube Music is our runner-up as Google continues to make its streaming app extra aggressive. This 12 months, the corporate has made a number of tweaks to the UI and added a lot of AI options to provide help to create playlists and thumbnails. It hasn’t been too thrilling of a 12 months for YouTube Music, nevertheless it’s steadily changing into a worthy Spotify competitor for anybody wanting. Earlier this 12 months, Google celebrated 100 million subscribers, so one thing have to be working.
Finest video streaming service: Netflix
Patrick Farmer: Regardless of a controversial password-sharing crackdown and one other spherical of predicted worth will increase on the horizon (in keeping with analysts), 2024 was an amazing 12 months for Netflix. From blockbuster movies to authentic sequence and vacation romcoms — did anybody else watch “The Merry Gents”? Simply me? All proper, shifting on — Netflix has content material for almost each kind of person.
This 12 months might not have seen Netflix dropping any groundbreaking cultural phenomena like “Squid Sport” or “Stranger Issues,” nevertheless it has continued to carry the road because the world’s hottest streaming service. And with its current foray into the world of gaming, it’s clear that Netflix has no intention of resting on its laurels any time quickly.
Finest Android app: Gemini
Namerah Saud-Fatmi: Apps can be found a dime a dozen, nevertheless it takes an infinite quantity of effort and past to make the most effective one. Google had all the fitting sources for the job and put them to work with Gemini. This language mannequin married the smarts of Google Assistant to concoct the final word Android app.
With Gemini, something is feasible. Must create automations to your sensible dwelling? No drawback. Have some code that wants assist getting written? Executed deal. There’s little or no this AI cannot deal with, be it picture technology or pulling from all of your Google providers like Gmail to reply prompts.
