There have been some stellar apps and providers that have been launched this yr and I can wholeheartedly agree with each single one of many winners on this record.
I’m a bit biased right here, however I’m an enormous Spotify fan. I’ve tried YouTube Music and Apple Music, however frankly, neither of them actually meets my wants in addition to Spotify does. The app this yr additionally has one among my favorite end-of-year options “Spotify Unwrapped” and this yr it built-in plenty of AI to provide me extra data on my listening habits!
I’ll say that whereas Netflix is the king of streaming providers there are numerous others on the market with nice reveals. However in fact, there can solely be one winner and we picked Netflix! There are plenty of nice reveals and it is extremely entertaining, to not point out that the streaming large can also be moving into the world of stay TV, which we suspect will increase over the following yr.
Lastly, we could not end this record with out speaking about one of the best Android app: Gemini. Google outdid itself with a very outstanding app and it is one the AC Workers has been very enthusiastic about utilizing.
Congrats to all of the winners!
In fact, here is what a few of my colleagues, Derrek Lee, Patrick Farmer, and Namerah Saud-Fatmi should say concerning the winners,
Greatest music streaming service: Spotify
Derrek Lee: We simply can’t stop you, can we? Spotify continues to be not solely our favourite music streaming service however, apparently, everybody else’s too. Simply in November, the corporate reported that it has 252 million subscribers, up 12% from the earlier yr. It additionally has greater than 640 million month-to-month energetic customers, which is up 11% from final yr. So why will we love Spotify a lot?
The streamlined UI simply makes it impressively simple to hearken to the music you like and uncover new tracks. And whereas Spotify has but to introduce its long-awaited Hi-Fi tier, the corporate continues so as to add and check new options to remain forward of the sport, reminiscent of personalized AI-generated playlists that allow you to inform it what you wish to hearken to. It additionally added a cheaper base plan for customers who don’t want entry to audiobooks.
It was a fairly good yr for Spotify, however we hope 2025 might be an ideal yr for audiophiles who await higher-quality listening. With a bit of luck, we’ll lastly get that “Tremendous Premium” plan we’ve been listening to about.
Runner-up: YouTube Music
In the meantime, YouTube Music is our runner-up as Google continues to make its streaming app extra aggressive. This yr, the corporate has made a number of tweaks to the UI and added plenty of AI options to help you create playlists and thumbnails. It hasn’t been too thrilling of a yr for YouTube Music, but it surely’s steadily turning into a worthy Spotify competitor for anybody trying. Earlier this yr, Google celebrated 100 million subscribers, so one thing should be working.
Greatest video streaming service: Netflix
Patrick Farmer: Regardless of a controversial password-sharing crackdown and one other spherical of predicted worth will increase on the horizon (in keeping with analysts), 2024 was an ideal yr for Netflix. From blockbuster movies to unique sequence and vacation romcoms — did anybody else watch “The Merry Gents”? Simply me? All proper, shifting on — Netflix has content material for nearly each kind of person.
This yr might not have seen Netflix dropping any groundbreaking cultural phenomena like “Squid Sport” or “Stranger Issues,” but it surely has continued to carry the road because the world’s hottest streaming service. And with its current foray into the world of gaming, it’s clear that Netflix has no intention of resting on its laurels any time quickly.
Greatest Android app: Gemini
Namerah Saud-Fatmi: Apps can be found a dime a dozen, but it surely takes an infinite quantity of effort and past to make one of the best one. Google had all the fitting assets for the job and put them to work with Gemini. This language mannequin married the smarts of Google Assistant to concoct the last word Android app.
With Gemini, something is feasible. Have to create automations in your sensible house? No drawback. Have some code that wants assist getting written? Carried out deal. There’s little or no this AI cannot deal with, be it picture era or pulling from all of your Google providers like Gmail to reply prompts.
