Google is all set for its Google I/O Keynote 2018 and ahead of the mega event, Google released the winners of the 2018 Google Play Awards. For the unaware, this is the third annual Google Play Award ceremony conducted by Google to recognise the best apps and games on the Google Play over the last one year. "These apps and games battled it out across nine categories, and proved not only to deliver delightful experiences to fans, but also have a larger positive impact in their communities," said Google in a blog post. Out of the nine apps, India's e-commerce portal Flipkart has been rated as the application with best-optimised performance, localisation and culturalisation for emerging markets. Alongside Flipkart, other apps such as Simple Habit, Canva, BBC Earth: Life in VR, etc. are on the list.
In the Standout Well-Being category which empowers people to live the best version of their lives, while demonstrating responsible design and engagement strategies, Simple Habit app has been selected. The Be My Eyes has been selected as the Best Accessibility Experience application on the list.
Khan Academy application has been rated as the Best Social Impact application. The popular game, Old Man's Journey is on the list because it focuses focus on artistic design, gameplay mechanics and overall polish. Episode by Pocket Gems is selected as the game built to connect gamers, encouraging social interaction and community building.
The future will be all about Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality and in the category offering highly engaging and immersive experiences with the optimal use of ARCore or Daydream UI, the BBC Earth: Life in VR app has been rated. The Canva application has been selected because it's an app from new developers that offer a unique experience while achieving strong organic install growth. Lastly, the Empires & Puzzles app has been ranked on the list because of its overall design, user experience, engagement and retention, and strong organic install growth.
