Google Play declares its “best of” list; BeReal and an AI art tool Dream by WOMBO top the list of the best apps in 2022

Google Play has now published its own “best of” list, a few days after Apple released its annual list of the best apps of 2022. The company released a list of winners in all categories, including those that were selected by its own editorial staff and by Android owners through the User’s Choice awards. BeReal was voted the most popular app by users, and Dream by WOMBO, an AI-generated art app, was named this year’s Best App in the United States by Google.

BeReal also won Apple’s “App of the Year” award, indicating that younger people prefer novel social networking platforms.

In the meantime, Apex Legends Mobile won User’s Choice and Google’s Best Game awards. The business pointed out that the game was a popular trend throughout the year and frequently made the top 10 downloaded lists.

In addition to regional awards in markets outside of the United States, Google selected winners across 20 categories in the Google Play Store in the United States.

According to the statement, the company also launched new categories this year, such as “Best Game Story” and “Best Ongoing Game,” in an effort to better highlight the distinctive kinds of games that its developers contributed to the ecosystem. Google also chose the best apps for fun, personal development, everyday use, and hidden gems.

Google said that its choices are meant to reflect what people would care most about in 2022, which included ways to help us stay grounded and present as well as ways to escape reality through gaming.

Google highlighted its recent push to make Google Play a place where it is easy to find a variety of different types of apps by selecting specific winners for platforms other than smartphones. These winners were selected in addition to category picks.

Todoist was named the Best App for Android Wear, Pocket has named the Best App for Tablets, and BandLab was named the Best App for Chromebook users on Google’s year-end winners’ list, which reflected the Play Store’s recent redesign to better direct users to apps for watches, tablets, and televisions.

Additionally, it selected Roblox for Chromebooks and Tower of Fantasy for tablets as the best games.

Below is a full list of winners:

Best overall app and game

• Best App: Dream by WOMBO
• Best Game: Apex Legends Mobile

Users’ choice

App: BeReal
Game: Apex Legends Mobile

Best apps of 2022

• Best for Fun: PetStar (Honorable mentions: DanceFitMe, NoteIt Widget)
• Best for Personal Growth: Breathwrk (Honorable mentions: Duolingo ABC, Gym Log & Workouts, Ukulele by Yousician)
• Best Everyday Essentials: Plant Parent (Honorable mentions: Book Morning Routine Waking Up, Daily Diary, Sleep Tracker)
• Best Hidden Gems: Recover Athletics (Honorable mentions: Linktree, Little Lunches, Wamble)
• Best Apps for Good: The Stigma App (Honorable mentions: Sleep Fruits, Zario)
• Best for Wear: Todoist
• Best for Tablets: Pocket
• Best for Chromebooks (new category): BandLab

Best games of 2022

• Best Multiplayer: Dislyte (Honorable mentions: Apex Legends Mobile, Catalyst Black, Diablo Immortal, Rocket League Sideswipe)
• Best Pick Up & Play: Angry Birds Journey (Honorable mentions: Gun & Dungeons, Hook 2, Hyde and Seek, Quadline)
• Best Indies: Dicey Dungeons (Honorable mentions: Dungeons of Dreadrock, Knotwords, One Hand Clapping, Phobies)
• Best Story (new category): Papers, Please (Honorable mentions: Deemo II, Inua – A Story in Ice and Time, The Secret of Cat Island, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion)
• Best Ongoing (new category): Genshin Impact (Honorable mentions: Candy Crush Saga, Garena Free Fire, Pokémon GO, Roblox)
• Best on Play Pass (new category): Very Little Nightmares (Honorable mentions: Bridge Constructor, Final Fantasy VII, Linelight, Path of Giants)
• Best for Tablets: Tower of Fantasy (Honorable mentions: Angry Birds Journey, Catalyst Black, Diablo Immortal, Papers, Please)
• Best Game for Chromebooks (new category): Roblox

The company highlighted the best-selling audiobooks and books elsewhere on Google Play.