Every year just before the start of its I/O developer conference, Google dishes out awards to some of the best apps from the past year on Android. The results of the 2018 Google Play Awards are in, recognizing standout apps across 9 different categories. Let's take a look at the winners.

In the well-being category, Simple Habit is singled out for its meditative qualities. It's supposed to help reduce stress, improve sleep, and make you more focused. It must be working for someone at Google. The ingenious Be My Eyes is a worthy winner in the accessibility category. It allows blind or visually impaired users to connect with others over a video feed so assistance can be given in a variety of situations.

Best Social Impact app goes to the Khan Academy education app, offering learners around the world free lessons in math, science, and more. The Build for Billions category salutes apps optimized for emerging markets, with this year's award going to Indian shopping app Flipkart. Photo editing app Canva gets the nod as Standout Startup.

There are several games categories, including Breakthrough Hit which went to RPG title Empires and Puzzles. Best Community Building Game was awarded to visual storyteller Episode, and the Standout Indie game is the beautiful Old Man's Journey. Last but not least, the winner in the VR & AR category is the BBC Earth wildlife hit Life in VR.

Source: Google