10 iPhone Apps I’ve moved to since leaving Android.
Since moving off the Android platform onto the IOS and migrating my life over to Apple, I’ve found some apps on the iPhone I’d either not seen on Android or are IOS only.
There are plenty of apps I’ve got on the phone on both platforms, these 10 apps just stood out.
NOTE: I don’t get paid by any of these apps, I’m not advertising them, I don’t get any money if you click on the link in the titles of each app. I’m writing this because I use and paid for them.
ARC Search
This is a fascinating app, which in my opinion is how AI is used well within an app. However, I can also see this app getting some backlash for what it does.
With a traditional web browser, to search for something, I would use Google Search (other search engines are available) type in my question and then usually open a plethora of tabs which might lead me to an answer to my query. This is for many of us how web search works.
Arc Search can do this, however its power lies in creating summaries based on a search question.
So last night I watched Bob Marley: One Love (great film, watch it with SRT Subtitles) and wanted to know how Bob Marley died
Type in the thing you want to search for and click on one of the Browser for Me options
The App will then go off and start looking through various websites for information
Then the app will collate the information it finds into a set of summaries which you can scroll through
At the foot of the summary page are also additional links which you can select for further reading.
Initially, I wasn’t enamoured with this approach, however after a couple of weeks of using the software it’s incredibly useful for finding information on the web in a collated fashion.
The App is fast, like all AI apps it’s essential to double-check the information, however when it comes to searching, for me at least this is the new way of finding information on the web.
Apple Maps
I remember the news stories when Apple Maps was launched, as a Google user I chuckled at the horror stories of users and etched in my mind that the product was a Joke compared to Google Maps.
Well I tried it, we used it for a couple of journeys, one specifically in which Google got a large chunk of, let’s say wrong, as it wasn’t aware of a new road.
It’s bloody good. Apple seems to have been working on this product and has done a great job. Apple Maps on the iPhone has done a great job in the car (with Carplay) at getting us from A to B, it also has a couple of other nice features like displaying traffic lights on the map, something Google Maps does in North America but I’ve never seen in the UK.
Routes which Google/Waze has issues with, Apple Maps hasn’t had that issue, traffic reports are better on Apple Maps and all in all, it was a bit of a shock it was so good.
Apple Music
Cards on the Table, I also have a Spotify subscription, however I’m finding the sound quality on my Sony MX3 headphones to sound better to my ears in Apple Music.
If you crank Spotify’s quality settings, you’re only getting the equivalent of 320kbit/s on mobile and 256kbit/s on the desktop app over a lossy Ogg Vorbis codec. Spotify has a lot of things going for it, but audiophile-grade audio isn’t one of the
(Read More: https://www.slashgear.com/1477331/apple-music-vs-spotify-sound-quality/#)
Apple Music on the other hand can use Dolby Atmos, Spacial Audio and in general far better codecs.
I’m aware Spotify has features like videos spinning up Podcasts, and Audiobooks, I use my music player in 2 ways, and both involve listening not looking at. I’m aware on Apple TV and within the App, there are some video playlists, to be honest, the feature I’d like to see in Apple Music which I do like in Spotify is the AI DJ…
Vernissage
I host my photos on Pixelfed the Fediverse equivalent of Instagram, Vernissage is the app I’ve found for doing this, to be open there are not many other choices and the app does work really well.
If you’re interested my photos are up on.
https://pixelfed.social/davidfield
From the first time I posted to Mastodon using this app, it had me hooked, it makes the noise of an ice cube clinking on a glass.
Ice Cubes
As a heavy Mastodon user, I’m spoiled for choice of free and paid apps on the iPhone, I’ve tried a few of them, and Ice Cubes is one of the better ones. I’m a fan of the dark theme, the post-noise and the interface have been solid.
A standout feature is lists, I know it’s available on other apps, but I just like how it’s done here.
Moleskine Timepage
A good calendar is essential to me, most of the calendars on IOS fall into what I’d call the Outlook category of look and feel which is more like a traditional wall calendar.
Moleskine’s Timepage takes a different approach and looks very nice in doing it, as well as being a calendar it’s part of a suite of apps, of which I also use Actions below, which also integrates into Timepage.
Daily provides overviews of what’s going on in your calendar across all the included calendars.
Moleskine Actions
Linked very close to the calendar app, in my forgetful brain is my Todo app. I’ve tried a few of these and for a long time used any.do
Moleskine Actions much like the Moleskin Timepage app, is a pretty app, it works for my needs and is simple to operate.
Creating spaces such as Work, Home, Travel, Tech and within each adding items I need to remember, I can assign a Date and time to remind me, a deadline time and a little fire or snow icon to flag as hot or cold.
If I assign dates they show up in Timepage as well.
There is also a web interface for the Actions app which I use as a PWA/Webapp on Ubuntu.
Both of these apps work independently of any other products Moleskine sell
Prompt 3
A mobile SSH app is essential and for a long time I’ve been using Termius, however, with the subscription as I use all features is expensive. So a MacOS/IOS Alternative was something to look for to reduce some costs.
When I bought this I didn’t associate it with Panic, the company that produces the Transit app on MacOS.
Prompt at a paid level has access to the Panic Sync server which means I can sync the remote hosts I add between MacOS and IOS however the reason I like it
The IOS interface is blatantly designed by a Linux sysadmin who uses the app because basic things like up/down and pipe are quickly available. The screen output is clear and it’s quick.
Apple Home(kit)
I’m including the Apple home app which is the interface to Apple Homekit because its a far superior experience to home automation than Google’s Home app.
Coming from an environment based on Google Devices I’ve had to do quite a bit of learning to get Homekit fully working. I’ve needed to invest in the Starling device for example to get the Nest Doorbell to work.
I’ve learned about HomeBridge and got Homekit integrated into Home Assistant, and all of these things could be highlighted as problems with Homekit.
The simple fact that these things exist, and can be fed into the Home App on IOS is from my perspective a huge leap forward compared to the Google Home environment.
I’ve got all my lights, switches, doorbells, Home cameras and services set up and it’s pretty. It’s functional and it’s easier to use than Google Home.
FTP Manager
Much like a good SSH app, a good SFTP app is a must and so far FTPManager is the one which fits the bill.
I’d prefer something dual-pane like Xplore on Android. The app does File transfer, Nearby file transfer
Nearby File Transfer is a very powerful feature. It can transfer files between iPhone and iPad without a Wi-Fi or LTE connection. Just put two iOS devices side by side, and then you’re ready to transfer files.
and has a built-in text editor.
Thoughts
There may be some apps on here that you’re not aware of or some alternatives to the ones I’ve chosen that you’d recommend to me. I’m always open to learning about better alternatives.
Something I’ve noted is the year-long IOS subscriptions are much cheaper on IOS than on Android.
Originally published at https://blog.safewebbox.com.
