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These are the most overrated apps to not get excited about

AndroidPIT most overrated apps 3
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The most successful apps simplify our lives. They make us come back because they offer a service that fulfils its promise. Normally, this is something simple, like the best way to read the news or schedule appointments. So when an app fails, it somehow does the opposite of what it should: it makes life more difficult. Here are, in my opinion, the five most overrated apps.

androidpit Best Apps 2015
Let's take a look at some apps that no one should be using. / © ANDROIDPIT

SwiftKey

I'd heard a lot about SwiftKey. Recommendations began to pile up for this app. I finally succumbed to peer pressure and gave it a go a few months ago. At first, it was a delight. Swiping merrily around my screen with my opposable digit seemed somehow preferable to tapping. But SwiftKey never really adapted to my typing. Its aggressive autocorrect meant I ended up going back to correct words so much that any time saved in swiping was lost in correcting. The interface lagged pretty frequently. I quickly reverted to Google Keyboard: it's lightweight; it never lags; it looks nicer.

AndroidPIT most overrated apps 4
SwiftKey claims to save you time, but it doesn't. / © ANDROIDPIT

Clean Master 

Making mountains of outlandish promises (boosting performance by 80 percent, hibernating apps to save battery, RAM boosting and CPU cooling), Clean Master is the ultimate example of an app that does not fulfil its promises. Want to save battery, storage space and memory? Don't have a million apps and files on your phone.

Having free RAM isn't going to speed up your phone, anyway, and Android does a fine job on its own of clearing RAM when it's needed.

Clean Master's most useful features (task manager, storage management, cache clearing) have existed in stock Android's Settings menu for years now. And doing it this way avoids the unnecessary bloat and dubiousness of Clean Master.

AndroidPIT most overrated apps 2
Clean Master offers nothing worthwhile that stock Android can't do. / © ANDROIDPIT

Facebook

Okay, so maybe this one's an easy target at the minute, but the Facebook app offers pretty much nothing to any user that can't be had from a simple web page shortcut added to the home screen. Add a shortcut, allow notifications from Chrome and delete the app to save on RAM and battery consumption and storage space. Alternatively, use Metal, a skin for the web page that functions more like the app, with a notification shade bar.

AndroidPIT Facebook app uninstall
Press on Uninstall. Live a better life. / © ANDROIDPIT
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Clash of Clans

Offering a simplistic take on settlement-building strategy games like Age of Empires, Clash of Clans is one way to kill huge quantities of your valuable free time, but when you see it for what it is – an enormous money-spinner – then it becomes a whole lot less appealing. For an app raking in over US$1,000,000 every day, it's hard not to see this timewaster as a hugely overrated sham, chewing up hours of your life for a few dollars in Supercell's pockets.

Complement this with every other Supercell and King game in the Play Store.

androidpit clash of clans hero photo 3
Clash of Clans is something every human life should be without. / © ANDROIDPIT

Todoist

There are plenty of to-do list apps to choose from, including many excellent free ones. Personally, unless you're the President of the United States of America, I can't see all that much use to be found in the advanced features in a paid app like Todoist or Wunderlist. Why someone would need such an in-depth organization of daily tasks and not require the employment of a personal assistant is beyond me. The only excuse I can think of is if you're like this guy and simply obsessed with organizing things for the sake of it.

I've always managed just fine with Google Calendar, sometimes complemented by a free app like Accomplish.

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4 levels of organisational depth are something no normal person needs. / © ANDROIDPIT

Are there are any apps you think are hugely overrated and unnecessary? Or do you think I've been too harsh on some of the apps listed here. Let us know in the comments.

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Chris Marshall

Chris Marshall
Junior Editor

Chris is a graduate in English and Philosophy and habitual tamperer with technology. A recent convert to Android, through the marvel of the Samsung Galaxy S6, he looks to share the fruits of this technological honeymoon through AndroidPIT.

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57 comments
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  • Pritt Balagopal 1
    Pritt Balagopal Aug 9, 2017 Link to comment

    I disagree about SwiftKey. You can turn off autocorrect in the settings.


  • Wendy L 1
    Wendy L Mar 29, 2016 Link to comment

    If Swiftkey wasn't predicting properly for you, then you didn't set it up correctly. Just because you don't know how to use an app doesn't make it over rated.


  • Stephen Allen 6
    Stephen Allen Mar 10, 2016 Link to comment

    Agree with your story on FB and SwiftKey. Google Keyboard (Marshmallow) has improved so much, that I find it better than SwiftKey, and I've been a user since I paid for the app when it was freemium. Now use Google Keyboard exclusively.

    Vicki James


    • 2
      Vicki James Mar 10, 2016 Link to comment

      I've been happy with SwiftKey for the most part, mainly because the keys are larger and I like the layout choices - but lately there have been little annoyances. I'm not sure if those outweigh the fantastic way SwiftKey adapted to my particular style of writing and speech patterns, though. Its predictions afford me a certain speed advantage.
      But I'll check out the Marshmallow keyboard!


      • Red Howell 1
        Red Howell Mar 12, 2016 Link to comment

        I love SwiftKey! It's predict feature works very well for me and so does the swipe function. Other than that, 100% agree with this list. Although after uninstalling FB, I did miss some app functions. I can't directly share something from Instagram, Pintrest, or my gallery. Using the web browser to upload images is a pain that seems to take forever. Almost enough to make me reinstall the app...almost.


  • 2
    Richard Wells Mar 10, 2016 Link to comment

    100% agree with these choices.

    Stephen Allen


  • 3
    Diane “Indydi” Miller Mar 10, 2016 Link to comment

    We need more articles like this. Everyone covers the best apps, but this is the first time I've run across the other angle. Totally agree with you on the three on your list that I've tried. I've heard enough about the Facebook app that I never downloaded it. So often the hype far outweighs the reality and we end up with thousands of apps bogging down our phones.

    BTW, you used "compliment" and "complement" once each, the former incorrectly.

    Anyway, keep it up!

    Vicki JamesStephen AllenShaun G.


    • 2
      Vicki James Mar 10, 2016 Link to comment

      haha - another grammar nazi in Indy! Cool! 😉


    • Chris Marshall 14
      Chris Marshall Mar 14, 2016 Link to comment

      Thanks a lot, Diane. Glad you enjoyed the article.


  • michael jeacock 3
    michael jeacock Mar 9, 2016 Link to comment

    I use SwiftKeys sk neural alpha app and because of its A.I it's brilliant at predictions. Plus I like the ability to customise the layout so I can have a separate number row on top the way I prefer.

    Wendy LMichael KVicki James


  • Adam Blažek 2
    Adam Blažek Mar 9, 2016 Link to comment

    And also Nova Launcher. There are launchers that are way more customisable and/or unique. And for SwiftKey, can't turn off the annoying popups -> instant uninstall

    Tor Schjølberg


    • 11
      Thomas S Mar 9, 2016 Link to comment

      Nova Launcher is the best launcher. Popups with Swiftkey? Are you sure you didn't installed another app? I never got a single popup

      Michael KVicki James


      • Adam Blažek 2
        Adam Blažek Mar 11, 2016 Link to comment

        I meant that when I tap a letter, its monstrously big version pops up.


    • Red Howell 1
      Red Howell Mar 12, 2016 Link to comment

      What pop ups do you get with SwiftKey? I've never seen one.


  • jay syed 1
    jay syed Mar 9, 2016 Link to comment

    After reading this Looks like Drippler is the most overrated app


  • 11
    Thomas S Mar 9, 2016 Link to comment

    "How to (try to) make a buzz": take a great app and say it's overrated in an article.
    You don't like SwiftKey's auto-correct? Well, big news: you can turn it off!
    As for the lag, I never experienced it, either on my G4 or my Galaxy S3

    Wendy LMichael KRed Howell


  • WIM IM 3
    WIM IM Mar 9, 2016 Link to comment

    when i hate a game , i cant say it is not popular ,, this site will lose its reputation this way .. i dont like World of Warcraft but i cant deny that it is very popular ,, you have to be honest writer .. not just saying your opinion is an absolute fact.. this remind me with the fact that American dont like football , but hey the rest of the world do !! are you in another planet ?? please dont be biased..
    Clash of clans player

    Francis Griffin


    • Chris Marshall 14
      Chris Marshall Mar 9, 2016 Link to comment

      I'm not denying that these apps are popular. The fact that they are popular and acclaimed helps them to be overrated.

      Vicki JamesStephen Allen


      • Francis Griffin 2
        Francis Griffin Mar 10, 2016 Link to comment

        You are the 1 out of 7 players with this opinion tho. The mass majority are in disagreement with your claims. What ever game you play on the Play Store Mr. Marshall you could turn around and say the same thing about all of them. So why single out Clash of Clans then. Probably you presonally have tried the game and didnt like it and thats fine. But you don't have to be biased based on your opinion of it.

        WIM IM


      • Chris Marshall 14
        Chris Marshall Mar 11, 2016 Link to comment

        I don't mind being in the minority.

        That's great that you like Clash of Clans. I don't doubt you can have fun playing it. I just think it doesn't deserve its popularity and money-making success. I see it as a game created with the sole intent of luring people into purchasing in-game items. And for that reason, I think it's overrated.

        Red Howell

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