Google has launched a plethora of apps that have become obsolete, redundant or useless. In many cases, it refuses to pull the plug on these apps to avoid annoying passionate users. This week I want to look at some of the official Google apps that users could do without.

Google Now Launcher - this might work great for Stock Nexus but the fact is that it is a rudimentary launcher that is buggy on non-stock Android devices Even when it works properly it lacks many of the notification and launch features found on standard Android launchers such as Samsung's TouchWiz or even alternatives such as the Nova Launcher. If you use a non-Nexus device, this is a launcher you could do without.

Google Tracks - With Google Fit, Tracks is now redundant. It's an app without a purpose - monitor your travel, fitness, something else? Also, it doesn't seem to be on Google's priority list, lacking many of the new design features. If you want something to keep track of your movement, it is best to opt for a standalone app that is not of a Google variant because Google services in Sri Lanka do not track location history. Therefore, even Google Fit and many Google Maps features are rendered useless.

Google Keyboard - I'm hesitant to add this to the list but even with a material design update, the Google Keyboard will continue to be a stock keyboard without any of the fancy bells and whistles of standalone apps such as SwiftKey. If you have a larger devices (think 5" plus) you might want to opt for Swiftkey or something similar since it allows for different types of landscape keyboards.

Google Messenger - This is probably the best example of Google's incoherent strategy. The new messenger app, for SMS, now compete with the stock SMS app on non-Nexus devices, and Google Hangouts, which allows users to combine SMS and hangout conversations. It is redundant if you combine your Hangout conversations with SMS.

By Navam Niles