The search for free (ad-supported) colour-related apps for Android phones brings up some results. How good are these tools?
Colour Picker
You move your finger over an image that you have taken with the camera or opened from the internal memory and the app displays the RGB and hex value as well as the RAL CLASSIC equivalent of the respective pixel. This is handy for a quick comparison, but unsuitable as an exact basis for decision-making. Firstly, it is not reported how the RAL comparison colour is calculated and how far it is from the selected pixel RGB, and secondly, worse, the white balance of the camera provides very different results depending on the lighting condition. Useful at best in good lighting conditions.
ON Colour Measure
A small circular section of the camera image or an open file is evaluated in relation to RGB, HSV, Hex and a colour name. The system from which the colour name originates remains open. When taking a picture, the camera lamp can be switched on - useful to have a standard lighting condition. Several results can be saved as a list. As with the colour picker, the same applies here: The result varies greatly depending on the light and white balance - it is hardly comprehensible.
Picklor
...also evaluates a central camera image area with regard to its colour and saves this colour sample at the bottom left of the image. If you click on it, further colour information is displayed (RGB, Hex, colour name). Where the displayed colour name comes from is not mentioned. Image and colour info can be sent by e-mail. The accuracy is questionable, besides the poor translation is noticeable. For example, a picture is saved with "save" - oh yes, "to save" also means "save"... unprofessional.
Colour Reference
"Get inspiration for your designs and discover new colours schemas" is the motto. You can define colours and, similar to Kuler, save them in sets. You can also select a colour from a long list of the "most used RGB colours" or save your own colour tones in it. However, this list does not correspond to any known colour system. Quite worthless.
Colors List
This app shows colours and colour values for about 50 colour systems. These include NCS, several Pantone variants and RAL - the most important systems. RGB, CMYK, HSV, HSL, L*a*b*, Hunter-Lab, Luv and the XYZ values are displayed. For RAL CLASSIC the RGB colour values correspond to those (formerly) published by RAL, but the other RAL colour values do not correspond to this source. With the other colour systems the quality of the values cannot be tested. Useful as a quick colour reference, but should be treated with caution!
RAL Simple Catalog
This app shows the RAL CLASSIC colours as a colour example, also full-screen, and the designations in 7 different languages. The list display can be flexibly adjusted. Although the app is helpful as an always available colour fan substitute, the stored RGB colour values are not mentioned, therefore the app is not suitable for further design work.
Designers Colour Guide
...shows the Pantone colours as colour examples, RGB, Hex and CMYK. No distinction is made between the numerous Pantone variants and no statement is made about the quality of the colour values or their parameters. The colour selection is awkward. Also hardly useful as a quick reference, because e.g. "Pantone Color Book" contains more and better colour information.
Pantone Color Book
This Pantone reference contains 19 Pantone systems and presents the colours as a list, colour swatches, colour values (RGB, CMYK, Hex). The colour selection is quick and intuitive. Conclusion: useful as a substitute colour fan - even if Pantone fans are at hand, as these normally do not provide RGB colour values.
Conclusion
Between barely functioning screen pipettes that calculate corresponding colours from individual colour swatches and practical substitute colour swatches to several systems, there is still a large gap of useful possibilities.
A new app can certainly be worthwhile, because advertising can ensure that at least the development costs are recouped. These may bother some people, but they do not detract from the quality of the app.
Once again, we would like to point out our Open Color Systems Collection (see download page), which contains all important colour values for approx. 400 colour systems and can be integrated into any product by any app developer free of charge. An exact and well-functioning app that provides all important colour systems exactly and free of charge will surely find many users.
