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Android Authority
14-06-2025
- Android Authority
These are the 10 open source Android apps I install on every new phone
Andy Walker / Android Authority There are a few apps I must install on any new Android phone. Without them, using my handset would be quite challenging. These include the usual suspects like shopping and banking apps, browsers, AI search tools, and WhatsApp. Surprisingly, I also rely heavily on open-source apps. A quick count shows that over a dozen of my apps are open source, many of which enhance my phone experience. How many open source apps do you have on your phone? 0 votes None. NaN % 1-5. NaN % 6-10. NaN % 11-20. NaN % More than 20. NaN % In honor of these apps, here are the 10 open-source Android apps I always install without hesitation: LocalSend Andy Walker / Android Authority LocalSend is a free, open-source, cross-platform file-sharing service that uses my local network to transfer files between devices. I'm a relatively new user, but the app quickly won me over. I used to struggle with Quick Share and USB cables for transferring files from my phone to another device or my PC, but not anymore. LocalSend simplifies this process, using my fast local network for quick transfers. Its easy setup is a major advantage; just install the app on both the sender and recipient devices, and you're ready to go. It's compatible with Apple products, Linux, Windows, and Android, allowing seamless file transfers between Android and iOS. Kvaesitso Andy Walker / Android Authority Kvaesitso is a free, open-source Android launcher focused on minimalism and search. As a former Nova Launcher user, Kvaesitso has completely changed how I use my phone since I adopted it over a year ago. Instead of multiple screens, Kvaesitso uses a vertically-scrolling layout just below the screen's edge. This supports multiple widgets and lets me hide them until needed. The launcher heavily relies on its search capabilities, which can pull up data beyond apps and shortcuts, including files, contacts, calendar events, and even Wikipedia results. Breezy Weather Andy Walker / Android Authority Breezy is a free, open-source weather app that fully embraces Google's Material Design. As a result, it's one of my favorite alternatives to Google's own weather platforms. Its GitHub description highlights its proficient use of Material Design, and as a result, it looks great on Google Pixel devices. Despite this, the app still has its own personality and offers all the vital weather metrics at a glance, several sources, and the option to delve deeper into daily forecasts if required. Material Files Andy Walker / Android Authority Material Files is my go-to file manager. This free, open-source app is lightweight, makes moving files easy, and includes a handy breadcrumbs menu for effortless navigation. It supports archives, themes, and, importantly for me, my NAS. Basically, it covers every requirement I have and more. Obtanium Andy Walker / Android Authority Managing apps from multiple sources and keeping them updated can be a chore, but Obtanium makes it surprisingly enjoyable. The app acts as a central hub for all non-Play Store apps, allowing users to search for apps on platforms like F-Droid and GitHub and download them directly. It's so essential that I often install it before any Google apps, and of the most important apps I sideload on my Android phone. Shizuku Andy Walker / Android Authority Like Obtanium, Shizuku is one of the most important apps on my phone, though I don't actively use it. It allows other apps to access higher privilege APIs that they usually couldn't. For example, Smartspacer, which enhances my Pixel's At a Glance widget, needs Shizuku to function. Many other apps also rely on it, and it's the lynchpin for making your Android phone feel more like a Pixel. URLCheck Andy Walker / Android Authority URLCheck is a free, open-source link-checking app that is a middleman between my thumb and browser. It's indispensable for verifying the destination of obfuscated links in emails and social apps. I wrote a dedicated piece on why URLCheck is a permanent fixture on my phone. In short, it lets me remove tracking snippets, check links for viruses, and open links in my app of choice. Xtra Andy Walker / Android Authority I don't use Twitch as much as I used to, but I turn to Xtra when I do. This free, open-source Twitch client is less annoying than the official app, offering access to third-party emote services and background playback. It also lets me download VODs for offline viewing, which is perfect for flights. OsmAnd Andy Walker / Android Authority The free, open-source mapping app OsmAnd excels where Google Maps falls short. It uses OpenStreetMap data, which I rely on for navigating back roads. In my area, several gravel routes aren't on Maps. OsmAnd highlights road quality and surface, helping me decide if I can traverse a bumpy farm road. As a result, it's also one of the most important Android Auto apps on my device. RedReader Andy Walker / Android Authority Finally, RedReader is the only reason I am still considering using Reddit. It's exempt from Reddit's third-party app restrictions and is the best app for browsing the social network (of the apps that still exist). It's fast, simple, and customizable enough for my needs. I love its legibility settings, especially the ability to adjust font sizes precisely. I've shared my favorite apps, and now it's your turn. Are there any open-source apps you always install on your phone? Let the community know in the comments below.
Android Authority
11-05-2025
- Android Authority
Google is a search company, so why is search so bad on my Pixel phone?
Andy Walker / Android Authority For years, Nova Launcher was my preferred Android launcher. Initially, its lengthy list of customization options attracted me, but its powerful search capabilities truly won me over. I could easily access obscure parts of an app directly from its search bar, saving time scrolling through app lists and reducing home screen clutter. There was no longer a need to pin important apps for easy access. However, this changed when I got a Pixel 8 and encountered Pixel Launcher's limited search for the first time. I was disappointed. Nova Launcher isn't developed by a massive search company whose name is synonymous with search, yet it excelled in search functionality. Google, responsible for both Pixel hardware and software, falls embarrassingly short with Pixel Launcher. What do you think of the search functionality on Pixels? 0 votes It's brilliant! It meets all my device and web search needs. NaN % It's good. It mostly works well, but there is room for improvement. NaN % It's OK, but it leaves a lot to be desired. NaN % It's terrible, and I can't stand using it. NaN % Search is everywhere on the Pixel, but it's ineffective Andy Walker / Android Authority A launcher's search bar should be the most powerful tool on an Android smartphone. It should take me exactly where I want to go, or at least close. If I want to access a specific Slack channel, I should be able to do so directly. If there's a setting I want to change, like adjusting default apps, my launcher's magnifying glass should guide me there. Judging by Pixel search, it seems that Google doesn't quite agree with me. For those unfamiliar with Pixels, there are two ways to access search through the launcher. You can tap the permanent home screen search bar at the bottom of the screen or swipe up to access the app drawer's search facility. The latter is slightly more customizable, but it's not immediately accessible. A launcher's search bar should be the most powerful tool on a smartphone. This isn't the case on the Pixel. To give Google some credit, there are aspects of the home search bar I like. I can tap the G logo to open my manicured Discover feed. I also appreciate how the keyboard disappears with a downward scroll and reappears when the search bar is active. This detail shows Google's understanding of smart usability features. However, these little details are overshadowed by larger problems. Joe Maring / Android Authority Let me explain these in more detail, starting with a simple search term. Tapping the home screen search bar and typing 'settings' doesn't provide a list of toggles but a wall of web search suggestions. I'm unsure why Google thinks I'd want to visit 'settings iPhone' on my Pixel 8. Only by scrolling down does the phone reveal options to search directly within the Settings, Play Store, Maps, and Contacts apps. These options should be at the top, or Google should allow me to reorder sections within the search page. Pixel Launcher's search stops short of being truly useful, only offering surface level results. To Google's credit, this is the case with the app drawer search. I can disable web search results here, but this option should also be available on the home search bar. App drawer results also occasionally include quick settings options, but why not all settings? You can see how Nova's results compare in the next section. Nova Launcher's results for "F1" inclued calendar entries for upcoming F1 races. When searching "F1" through the Pixel app drawer search, here's what I get. The Pixel's home search bar produces a slew of related web search suggestions. No calendar events. Even more puzzling is the lack of deep integration with Google's own apps. While searching Calendar from the app drawer search yields options to add an event, I can't search for a specific event using keywords. I can't search for Keep notes, Pixel Weather locations, Sheets documents in Drive, or Photos albums from either search bar. One might argue that I don't need to use the home search bar on my Pixel if it's not useful, but it's hard to ignore. Google makes it a permanent fixture on the home screen that can't be moved or hidden. The company clearly wants me to use it, even more so than the app drawer search option. Third-party launchers shouldn't offer smarter search on Pixels than Google, but they do Andy Walker / Android Authority I don't believe I'm being too harsh on Google, especially when we compare the Pixel search results with Nova Launcher's results running on the same phone. When I search 'settings,' Nova immediately lists actual settings options, initially arranged alphabetically: About phone, Accessibility, Airplane mode, All apps, and Battery. This is available right off the bat; no additional add-ons are necessary. I can refine results by adding more details to my search. 'Settings da' offers links to Default apps, Data usage, and Date and time. Nova Launcher. Nova Launcher. Pixel Launcher. Beyond settings on my phone, I can also jump directly into shortcuts within third-party apps. In Nova's settings, I can enhance my search scope through API integrations, allowing access to Spotify library items (seen below), Calendar events, Slack channels, and Twitch streams to name a few. The list of available integrations Nova offers. Once the Spotify integration is enabled, I can easily search podcasts... ...or playlists. Contrast this with Pixel search results. With Nova, there's no need to open Calendar and scroll for a specific event I made months ago; I can simply search for it from the bar and access it immediately. I can extend these capabilities further with Sesame Shortcuts, an optional add-on that allows even more integration with third-party apps and their shortcuts. Pixel Launcher offers none of these deeper integration features, even with some of Google's own products. Pixel Launcher offers none of these deeper integration features, even with some of Google's own products. I know the company once offered a more intricate search system with an API on its devices, but it halted these efforts. While it has reintroduced some integrations to Pixel Launcher's search, the experience pales in comparison to Nova. Pixel search could be much, much better Andy Walker / Android Authority So what's the fix? Switching over to Nova Launcher permanently on my Pixel 8 is a workaround, but one that introduces its own problems. Despite Google's patches, third-party launchers still suffer from animation issues on Pixels, and Nova is keenly affected. Returning to the home screen from any menu results in flashes and stutters. Despite its robust search features, Nova is not an option for now. Pixel Launcher performs so much better on its native hardware. My only hope is that Google improves Pixel Launcher's search utility in the future. This focus would help novice and power users find content on their devices more efficiently and turn the launcher into a gateway to Google's services. With Android 16 promising new features, including refreshed animations and refined UI elements, I urge the company to consider building a more comprehensive launcher search experience. Pixel users deserve it.
