If you’ve just unboxed a new smartphone and are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices in the app stores, we’ve got you covered. To help you navigate the sea of options on Android and iOS, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you.

Building on last week’s recommendations, we have narrowed down the latest releases to five must-have picks. From high-octane gaming to specialized tools for fiber arts and DIY projects, this week’s selection is designed to offer something unique for every type of user.

Dumb Ways to Die

Dumb Ways to Die certainly brings back memories. I remember when the original music video first made its rounds over a decade ago, blending a dark, cynical humor with an incredibly catchy tune to remind us all to be a little less reckless around train platforms. Now, early on in the year, the mobile game has seen a fresh surge of interest thanks to its latest updates, showing how good character design and simple, reflex-driven gameplay is so important.

The core appeal remains, as I play a high-stakes, rapid-fire collection of mini-games where the life of a colorful, blob-like “Bean” rests entirely on my ability to react in seconds. Whether I was frantically swiping the screen to clean up puke, carefully balancing a character to keep them from falling, or resisting the urge to press a large red button, the tension remains palpable. The game was designed to be punishing; as I progress, the speed ramps up until my fingers are moving faster than your brain can process.

The replayability is insane. Even after all these years, the sheer variety of ways to fail keeps me hooked. The latest version features more sophisticated challenges—like blowing into the microphone to keep a plane airborne—as it takes advantage of modern hardware in a way that feels natural rather than gimmicky. There is also a satisfying sense of progression as I earn points to unlock new Beans for my collection.

I don’t like the high frequency of advertisements which does dampen the mood, often interrupting the frantic flow that makes the game so addictive. So much for “just one more round”, when I end up waiting another minute to watch more ads. Monetization is definitely the bane of modern apps and games, but still, I think this is a keeper on any smartphone in 2026.

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Sega Football Club Champions

What can I say about SEGA Football Club Champions? For starters, this is also known as soccer to those living in the US. Basically, I step into a manager’s shoes that is explicitly “powered by Football Manager,” utilizing the robust FIFPro database to bring over 10,000 real-world players into the fold. Good to know that gameplay is intentionally streamlined without having me obsess over individual player instructions for ninety minutes.

Basically, I am just tasked with broader tactical decisions, such as setting a team’s overarching philosophy—and I get to decide whether I indulge in a relentless possession game or a quick-strike counter-attack. The match engine provides a heat map that guides my attacking direction, making it feel less like a chore and more like a high-level strategic puzzle that fits perfectly into a morning (or evening) commute.

What stood out to me was the inclusion of the J-League and K-League alongside the European giants. It is refreshing to see a developer acknowledge that football fans in Asia have a deep-seated passion for their regional leagues. The progression system is built around a “local to global” journey, where I can take a relatively obscure club and nurture young talent into world-class stars. There is a genuine sense of accomplishment in scouting a three-star prospect and watching them develop through my training facilities, albeit via gacha-style recruitment mechanics.

Nice to see SEGA opted for a clean, user-friendly UI that avoids the clutter often found in mobile ports of PC management games. The cross-platform and cross-play support is perhaps its strongest selling point; I can tinker with my Arsenal-licensed squad on my PC during a break and then handle a crucial transfer negotiation on my phone while waiting for lunch. Not the best graphics, but it serves its purpose.

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Tooliz (Android only)

Are you sick and tired of subscriptions and way too many login accounts to keep track of? Well, I fell you, and identify with you. This is why I felt Tooliz deserved a place on this week’s list, albeit being an Android only app. This app functions as a digital Swiss Army knife that packs over twenty-five essential utilities into a lightweight, offline-first package that felt tailor-made for the practical user. In other words, it felt like I was going back to the basics.

What immediately struck me during my use of this app was the sheer variety of tools tucked away under its hood without the usual performance lag. Whether I was using the spirit level to balance a frame at home or the augmented reality protractor to measure an angle via the camera, the interface remained fluid and responsive. Having a unit converter, and a sound level meter in one place is incredibly convenient. 

I found it interesting that it even includes niche but helpful features like a frequency generator for testing speakers and a “Random Decider” for those moments when nobody in the larger group is brave enough to take up the responsibility of deciding where to go for lunch. Visually, the custom radial menu made navigating between tools with one hand remarkably easy, avoiding the clunky hamburger menus that plague many modern apps. It was also refreshing to see a “Privacy Friendly” badge that actually meant something; as the app processes sensor data like the magnetometer for the metal detector and the microphone for the decibel meter locally on the device.

So fret not, there is no need for unnecessary permissions, and the fact that most of it works perfectly in airplane mode makes it a reliable companion. Definitely something that I would recommend having for all Android phone users.

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Focus Frank

Productivity tools are dime a dozen, making it tough to find an app that manages to be effective without feeling like a digital drill sergeant. Well, Focus Friend is an interesting find, where I found it took a refreshingly empathetic approach. More than another “gamified” habit tracker, the premise of using a tiny, animated bean as the primary focus that just wants to knit me a pair of socks is particularly disarming. All I need to do is set a timer, and while I work, my “Bean” companion busily knits scarves and socks in its digital room. 

If I leave the app to check social media or play a game, my Bean stops working and looks visibly crestfallen. It sounds silly, yet the psychological pull was surprisingly strong. I found myself sticking to my writing deadlines not because I was afraid of a lockout, but because I genuinely didn’t want to disappoint my pixelated friend. It taps into a sense of “body doubling”—a technique often used in the ADHD community—where the mere presence of another “person” (even a bean-shaped one) working alongside me makes it easier to stay on task.

Graphically speaking, it leans heavily into the “cozy” aesthetic that has dominated the gaming world recently. The rewards earned, including hard-won knitted goods, can be traded for furniture and decorations to customize my Bean’s living space. I guess in looking out for my Bean and its lifestyle, I end up with the desire be more focused in my next work session. 

I am happy to say Focus Friend doesn’t feel like another corporate tool designed to squeeze out more efficiency. Rather, using it felt more like a wellness companion. It reminded me to remain hydrated by taking water breaks using the Pomodoro method, ensured I do not burn out while chasing my goals, and more.

You’ve got a bean as a friend to help you focus!

Arc Search (Android only)

Oh, look! Yet another AI app. Well, now that I have a gazillion AI apps on my phone, what’s another one more to the collection, right? This time, Arc Search touches on mobile browsers, in an attempt to fundamentally change how one interacts with the web. It is more than a browser; taking up its role as an AI-driven search engine that prioritizes answers over a simple list of links.

What stood out for me? Th “Browse for Me” function. Instead of the usual routine where I type a query and spend minutes clicking through various sites to piece together information, Arc Search does the heavy lifting instead. When I asked it for a comparison of the best street food spots of a particular area, the app didn’t just give me a Google results page; it read through multiple travel blogs and local guides to generate a custom, beautifully formatted webpage with structured headings, summaries, and even links to the sources. 

In terms of the user interface, I like the refreshing and minimalist look. On Android, the keyboard opens the second I launch the app, assuming—correctly—that if I am opening a browser, I probably want to search for something right away. The tab management is equally clever, utilizing an auto-archive feature that sweeps away my digital cobwebs after a day of inactivity. This prevents the “hundred-tab fatigue” that is so often the bane for many of us,

Do note this is not meant for research, but works best as a tool designed for speed and quick answers. It is definitely not on the level of Firefox or Brave when it comes to power user features, but for the average user who just wants to find a recipe, check a score, or settle a trivia debate without wading through layers of trackers and pop-ups, I’d say this is a game-changer.

Make your search smarter and cleaner with Arc Search.