Above: iOS App Store.
BitDepth#1438 (December 25, 2023)
Before considering useful iOS apps, it’s important to consider how third-party software works in the Apple ecosystem.
Software is created on the Mac the same way as on other platforms.
Apple makes some of the software and its underlying operating system (OS), although the application programming interface (API) hooks that allow for actual tweaking of MacOS have been slowly disappearing over the past two decades. , there is room for third parties to innovate.
Ever since Apple introduced its own curated App Store for the Mac, the company has been quietly pushing to move third-party software development to a walled garden model.
When the company finally relented and started allowing apps on the iPhone (in 2008, with 500 apps), they were only available through the iOS App Store, and some problematic apps had a notoriously long history. It slipped through the review process, but the store usually offered safe apps. An environment for those seeking software.
However, those who sell the code can only do so by paying Apple 30 percent of the purchase price of every app.
While early versions of the iPhone can be easily jailbroken to remove the digital lock that blocks third-party software not found in the iOS app store, the process has become more difficult and less rewarding in recent years.
Fortunately, the variety of software found in the iOS App Store has consistently improved over the past 15 years, greatly reducing the need to sideload unauthorized apps.
Unfortunately, apps submitted to the App Store must adhere to Apple’s strict guidelines regarding what software can and cannot do on mobile platforms.
More positively, the vertical integration of the iOS code base makes interesting services available to users.
MacOS users can now access some apps and widgets created for iOS directly from their computer. On the other hand, many apps developed for iOS are also available on Apple Watch and iPad, allowing you to share data as needed.
These are apps that I think are essential.
GoodReader is just one of several apps in the iOS Store that can open PDFs, but few competitors can match it in terms of feature set, elegance, and robustness as a reader. .
I prefer using it on my iPad. It makes the most sense to use a PDF reader to read and take notes, but the iPhone version has comparable functionality.
Getting a PDF into your reader requires a little understanding of how your local network web server works.
To move files to the reader, users click a button to start GoodReader’s servers and enter the generated local IP address into their web browser. From there the transfer process is clear.
Chunky is for readers of independent comics published in digital format. There are also apps like his Comixology for comics purchased on that platform, but Chunky reads many formats used for digital comic distribution. The document transfer process is very similar to GoodReader.
Smart Comic Reader also received good reviews, but Comic Zeal, the king of comic readers, is unfortunately no longer available on the App Store.
It’s one thing to try to spark interest in bedtime reading with your child, it’s quite another to stay on top of what will happen if you manage to wake up a particular dragon.
Epic is one of the solutions. The software, listed as “Epic – Kids Books” in the App Store, is a subscription solution ($8 per month) that provides access to thousands of books for children ages 3 to 10.
Most of the classics exist in the public domain, but not all of the best books exist. Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree wasn’t available when I was a subscriber, but it’s available at a reasonable price on Kindle, and hundreds of scanned children’s books are also available at affordable prices can.
Getting Things Done’s original champion of to-do list systems, Things, is now in all Apple app stores, with versions that sync from your desktop to your Apple Watch.
If you’re just starting out with David Allen’s system, it’s not the easiest list system to start with, but if you’re already running GTD, it’s one of the best.
I’ve just started using Pagico, an app for MacOS (also Windows and Ubuntu) with complementary iOS apps, and it seems like it’s more of a project planner than I actually need.
There’s a fully functional calculator available for all iOS devices, and then there’s PCalc.
If you want more than just a stock calculator on your mobile device, go straight to the paid version ($10 USD) that can reproduce the functionality of scientific calculators, programmer calculators, and more.
Want to know what’s going on inside your mobile device? There are several System Monitors in the iOS app store, but there’s also a MacOS app called Usage, which provides a useful overview of memory and battery usage over time. We simplify reporting by providing
While some may be concerned about how strict Apple’s approach to file management is in iOS, one bright spot in the company’s photo workflow is the ability of developers to leverage camera hardware and iCloud-based photo management. It’s an open approach.
I’m currently bouncing between CameraM, Obscura, and ProCamera as alternatives to iOS’ native camera capture app.
Each of these apps offers a slightly different approach to the image capture process, with an emphasis on putting professional features front and center, whereas native apps keep those features out of sight. It’s buried far away.
Specialized capture apps like Specter use your phone’s motion sensors and artificial intelligence to allow your iPhone to take photos at lower shutter speeds than would normally be possible.