And the nominees are: Google announces the best app nominees for their Google Play Awards

Developers have been instrumental in the tremendous growth seen in the Google Play Store over the years, with the current Android user base reaching way above the 1 billion mark across as many as 190 different countries. Perhaps, this why Google is acknowledging just how important developers are, with the announcement of their first-ever Google Play Awards.The Google Play Awards set for the Google I/O to be held on May 19, will see the best of the best in the developer community recognized while also highlight some of the best apps. These will include 10 different categories, with five apps or games being nominated for each category in the Google Play Awards 2016.Google has today released a list of the nominees, which were carefully selected by a panel of Google Play experts. However, you won’t get a chance to vote for your favorite because apparently there won’t be any user vote, as this will depend only on what Google likes.Here is a list of categories and nominated apps and games you should look out for. 

Standout Startup

This category features apps from new developers, offering users a unique experience, as well as gaining a solid growth. The nominees are:

• Dubsmash
• Hopper
• Musical.ly
• Robinhood
• Vrse

Standout Indie 

This award category is aimed at high quality game apps that feature an artistic design, along with original gameplay. The contenders for this award include:

• Alphabear
• Alto’s Adventure
• Fast like a Fox
• Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector
• Prune

Best Families App

This focuses on apps or games that are family friendly in terms of design and that can be explored as well as stir creativity among youngsters. And the nominees are:

• Card Wars – Adventure Time
• LEGO Jurassic World
• My Very Hungry Caterpillar
• Thinkrolls2
• Toca Nature.

Best Use of Material Design

Applying to aesthetics, the category includes apps or games that implemented the concepts of material design, resulting in an immersive and groundbreaking user experiences. Some of the potential winners include:

• Bring!
• Robinhood
• The Fabulous
• Todoist
• Vevo.

Best Use of Google Play Game Services 

For the best innovative games that include multiple Google Play Game Services feature uses, the nominees are as follows

• Sea Battle 2
• Table Tennis Touch
• Tapventures
• TowerMadness 2
• Zombie Highway 2.

 

Early Adopter 

This award recognizes that make use of nascent technology to deliver a pleasing experience to users. The app nominees are:

• Glide
• Mechanic Escape
• Minecraft: Story Mode
• World Around Me
• Zumper.

Go Global

This awards apps or games with great localized and cultural appeal, making it both flexible and popular among a wide variety of regions. The names listed are:

• Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle
• Freeletics Bodyweight
• Memrise
• Musixmatch
• Pokemon Shuffle Mobile.

Most Innovative

As the name suggests, this category award rewards apps or games that offer a novelty experience or has some type of unique benefit. The apps nominated include:

• Fast like a Fox
• NYT VR
• SmartNews
• The Fabulous
• This War of Mine.

 

Best App 

This will feature high quality apps based on design quality, user appeal, intuitive UX and ratings. Look out for:

• BuzzFeed News
• Colorfy
• Houzz
• TuneIn Radio
• Yummly

Best Game

As expected the subject matter will be mechanics, high user appeal, design and graphics as well as informative tutorial. Those contending include:

• Alphabear
• Clash of Kings
• Clash Royale
• MARVEL Future Fight
• Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes.

The awards will be handed out to the winners on May 19th at 7pm PDT which you can see it all as it happens via livestream. Meanwhile, let us know what you think about Google’s top picks and also share other apps you think deserved to be on the list, in the comments section below.