Whether you're brand new to Android or a longtime enthusiast, the Google Play store's catalog of 3.5 million apps can be intimidating. Our list is a great place to begin for anyone looking to jump-start their collection. Read about our selection process below, or if you're really eager to download these essentials, go ahead and skip down to the list itself.

So, you've got that shiny new iPhone X, but what good is it without awesome iOS apps? Not much good at all. Even if you don't have the latest handset from Cupertino, one of the top reasons for owning an Apple iPhone is because of the ever-increasing wealth of apps available for the platform. But which ones to install? We've got you covered. The experts here at PCMag have tested a vast number of apps, sorting the good from the bad,…