Google Play Awards for best apps

 

Google will be launching its new 'Google Play Awards' on May 19 to honour the best apps and games from third-party Android developers over the last 12 months.

 

Unlike Apple's annual awards that take place just before the year-end holidays, Google will be announcing the winners at its annual I/O conference in May. Winners will be chosen out of five nominees across ten sections and the list is now viewable in an exclusive collection on Google Play.

 

Google's panel of experts will select the best apps based on a few parameters including app quality, creativity and innovation. Only those apps which were launched or received a major update in the last 12 months will be eligible for nomination.

 

Rather than focusing on just the best apps and games, Google will give top ratings to those apps that make the best use of Google services such as the Best Use of Google Play Game Services. Also, those apps that do the best job of implementing Google's newer design language like 'Material Design' will fetch top honours in the Play Awards event.

 

Modern and technically advanced apps from innovative firms and startups will also stand a chance to win across categories like Standout Startup, Early Adopter, and Most Innovative.

 

Standout Indie, Best Families App and Go Global are the other categories that developers can vie for, apart from Best App and Best Game sections.

 

Check out the full list of nominees across all ten categories via Android Developers Blog and the Play Awards schedule here.

 

The final winners will be revealed on May 19 at 7 pm PST at Google I/O and the event will be live streamed here.