HTG Revives 5 Android Apps From 2008-2011 Still Worth Using in 2026

3 articles · Updated · How-To Geek · May 21

Five older Android apps — ASTRO File Manager, Instapaper, Microsoft SwiftKey AI Keyboard, Weather Underground and Tasker — remain useful enough to redownload in 2026, HTG says.
The picks span Android’s early era from 2008 to 2011 and are framed as survivors of a Play Store that now lists more than 1.8 million apps.
HTG highlights practical strengths rather than nostalgia alone: ASTRO still manages files ad-free, Weather Underground draws on personal stations and the National Weather Service, and Tasker still offers deep automation.
Instapaper and SwiftKey are presented as viable alternatives in categories now dominated by newer rivals such as Raindrop.io and Google’s Gboard, even as some premium or AI-heavy changes may divide users.
The broader takeaway is that some early Android software still holds up, underscoring how long-lived apps helped shape the platform beyond today’s newer releases.

How do decade-old apps thrive in an ecosystem now dominated by AI and tech giants?

Are 'old' Android apps a hidden security threat or a lesson in digital durability?