Mobile apps are slowly but surely becoming an integral part of our modern lives. So much so that it’s getting harder to get by without them.
Just think back around five or seven years ago. How many of the applications that you have installed on your phone today were simply not available no matter how hard you looked? Quite a lot right?
And that doesn’t go saying that everything needs an application, but the fact is that almost everything has it regardless.
The question that remains to be answered though, is whether everything needs an app in the first place. The simple answer to this is, no. But is it handy that everything does have an app regardless? Yes, it’s quite handy.
Why don’t we take a look at some of the essential apps that you need to have on the phone, and some that are completely situational?
Essential apps
Essential apps are not hard to identify, and as I go listing them, it’s obvious that they are a very subjective bunch. However, I will try my best to give you a general picture of what is most useful and what the majority of the population can use.
A map
Applications for maps are more than we can ask for. For example, if you try to find an app that’s tailor-made for your own city, you’ll most likely find quite a detailed one, but still, most people opt for Google Maps as they’re usually the integral part of any Android phone.
As for iOS, there is very little you can do with Apple Maps as they’re not on the same level as Google Maps. It’s very hard to outline but, it’s still a common understanding that the difference in quality is huge.
A messenger
A well-made messenger app is absolutely essential both for casual conversations as well as business discussions and etc.
There are so many types that it’s hard to choose, but we have generally outlined the difference between messengers for regular conversations versus for business discussions.
For business discussions, there are things like Telegram, Hangouts, WhatsApp and Slack, while for casual conversations things like Facebook Messenger are much more prioritized.
Carpooling
Ever since plastic cards became a thing, people had been dreaming of ways they could pay their cab fairs with them as the idea of cash was getting less and less common.
Then came in the carpooling apps such as Uber in almost all over the world and Yandex in the Russian Speaking world.
Almost every country has its own variation, and they’re all pretty much invaluable for an enjoyable transportation experience.
Online banking
Although online banking is quite situational, it’s always helpful to have this application whenever there is an emergency transaction, or at least a double-check that you need to make as soon as possible.
Furthermore, some banks even require their clients to download the application as purely mobile-based financial institutions are becoming more and more common, and they tend to have the best service over others.
Non-essential apps
Although the list of essentials was quite small, it’s important to note that this is the reason they’re called essentials. There are very few apps considered as essentials that can make the smartphone worthwhile in a sense.
But let’s now take a look at some of the most common non-essential apps that people download on a regular basis.
News applications
News applications are becoming more and more popular, especially since big brands have started to “appify” their products. But in most cases, people believe these apps are extremely situational and don’t require custom applications, simply due to the fact that every news source has its take on a specific event, or has a niche in a specific industry.
We have one example of the type of “news apps” that are common in a specific area. The Nordics, which are comprised of countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland have a particular love for apps about odds. The more particularly interested apps are Norwegian betting odds pages that people download on a weekly basis, as it gives them insight about future sports games that are so popular in these countries.
Games and puzzles
Games and puzzles are the second on the non-essentials list as they are an amazing way to pass time while one is riding on the subway or any type of public transportation.
In fact, if we don’t categorize games at all through genre and capabilities, it’s easy to say that they are the most commonly downloaded apps in the 21st century. But this is not considering just how many of them are available on the app stores.
Fitness apps
Fitness applications come last in this list, which isn’t really based on any kind of ranking system, to be honest.
If it’s based on anything, then it’s usefulness over everything else. When it comes to Fitness apps though, they’re also very situational as they’re usually designed to measure the steps or the time taken for workouts.
The other variation we can find for them is just calorie measurements where its up to the users to indicate their food intake for the day.
Overall, that’s pretty much the end of the list. Yes, there are much more complicated and detailed applications available for users on a daily basis, but the ones listed here are some of the most common ones anyone can find with a simple search.