10 iPhone Apps You've Never Heard Of
Apple's App Store stocks more than a million apps; this guide will show you the hidden gems.
![](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt69509c9116440be8/blt6b85a5b7ae2a1ff0/64cb5713663e50a412568c97/Slide_1.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Let's face it -- Apple's App Store can be overwhelming, what with the thousands and thousands of applications on the market, some just knock-offs of more popular apps, games that look promising but prove quickly tiresome, and a whole host of useless junk that only serves to reduce precious megabytes of storage space.
According to statistics specialist Statista, as of May 2015 there were 1.4 million mobile apps available on Apple's App Store.
However, if you dig deeply enough, you'll find the hidden gems that can make your travel plans infinitely easier and your commute eminently more entertaining, or even expose you to a whole new world of art and music.
With that sentiment in mind, we've rolled up our sleeves and dug deep to find the apps you never knew existed and, from now on, won't be able to live without.
Two Dots and Songza are just two examples of hidden apps that serve a dual purpose as life hacks, bringing color and joy into the once-mundane corners of your connected life. Could you ever think that connecting dots in a row would keep you occupied for hours, or that a music app could correspond to your mood throughout the day?
There are eight other apps on this list that you probably haven't heard of, and if you haven't, now is the time to dump those useless additions to your smartphone and replace them with applications that will encourage you to open them, not just swipe past them to get to Facebook Messenger (which we all despise anyway).
Best of all, most of the applications on this list are free of charge, so you can give your iPhone a makeover without breaking the bank.
Consider this a baseline for improving your app efficiency -- something we could all no doubt use. Since this list only scratches the surface, please tell us your favorite unknown iPhone apps in the comments section below.
[Did you miss any of the InformationWeek Conference in Las Vegas last month? Don't worry: We have you covered. Check out what our speakers had to say and see tweets from the show. Let's keep the conversation going.]
Get ready for the run of your life. Zombies, Run! is an immersive running game and audio adventure where avoiding the clutches of (admittedly virtual) zombies helps you put that extra spring in your step on your daily run. The app also lets you choose your own playlist to guide your escape -- feel free to amp up the score to 28 Days Later if that gets you pounding the pavement with a mission.
The setup couldn't be simpler -- connect the dots and make squares where you can. The developers behind Two Dots have exploded that concept into 310 levels (and counting), where the player embarks on a series of increasingly complicated challenges filled with fire, ice, and the occasional Yeti.
Like all forms of letters, the postcard has nearly been rendered obsolete by Facebook, texts, selfies, and other forms of electronic media. Postino combines the best of old and new media, allowing users to send physical greetings from far off places using their own photos, personalized messages, and digital signature.
Texting has become so commonplace (and essential) that it seems like all the fun has been drained from what was once an exciting capability. Ultratext, in contrast, blasts your messages with rapid-fire billboard ferocity, allowing you to communicate -- and annoy -- your friends with Technicolor personality. Endless color choices and emojis only add to the fun.
The brilliance of Songza lies in its carefully curated, finely detailed approach to playlist creation -- users can pick from a clever concierge with flirty categories like "Putting on Your Party Dress," as well as selections based on activities, moods, genres, and decades. Running the gamut from classical music to indie dance pop, chances are pretty good you'll find your sound.
Strangers in strange lands would be forgiven for wandering down endless side streets without a guide, thanks to unforgiving roaming charges that make a quick check of Google Maps a pricey proposition. Ulmon's city guides -- 55 cities so far, including Hong Kong, Sydney, Berlin, and Chicago -- offer crystal-clear offline maps garnished with user-uploaded photos and other helpful information.
With 123D Catch, you can use your camera to capture the people, places, and things around you as amazingly realistic 3D experiences. Snap pics of friends, sculptures, buildings, or anything else you can photograph, and the app automatically transforms them into interactive 3D models that can be shared with friends, family, and a growing community of 3D photographers.
Admit it -- there's not enough culture in your life. DailyArt seeks to rectify that by providing you with push notifications serving up a classic art piece daily, so you'll know the difference between a Richter and a Rothko. Curated with a sly sense of humor, it could give you an edge in the company of intellectuals, provided you have taste levels high enough to ignore the occasional inclusion of a Jeff Koons piece.
The Sleep Machine app provides an impressive assortment of professionally mastered ambient sounds designed specifically for achieving what its developers call "a total relaxed state and improving sleep," with customizable sound channels that let waves, crickets, and rumbling trains send you off into the night. The app also features a timer so you can lull yourself for however long you need.
The Berlin Wall app gives history buffs and Berlin backpackers alike a wealth of information about the city's infamous wall, from photos and personal anecdotes to self-guided tours and a comprehensive listing of important sites. Even if you're not in the city, the guide provides a fascinating glimpse of an era both engrossing and repulsive -- not to mention being maddeningly addictive.
The Berlin Wall app gives history buffs and Berlin backpackers alike a wealth of information about the city's infamous wall, from photos and personal anecdotes to self-guided tours and a comprehensive listing of important sites. Even if you're not in the city, the guide provides a fascinating glimpse of an era both engrossing and repulsive -- not to mention being maddeningly addictive.
-
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like