You can increase the lifespan of your new iPhone by applying a screen protector and a body cover. But, to enhance its overall experience, it's important to understand that there are still many things iOS doesn't natively do. Naturally, one has to go with third-party apps from the App Store.
From enhancing productivity to entertainment, there is an app for just about everything, and finding the best ones can be a tough nut to crack. So, we did the tough job for you and curated a list of apps that can supercharge your iPhone experience and be helpful to you in various scenarios.
1. 1Password
The first app to set up on a new iPhone should be a password manager, like 1Password, which generates strong passwords and stores them for you. It syncs across all your devices (Apple and non-Apple) and lets you access (and even share) your passwords like a breeze.
The most useful feature of 1Password is its ability to save personal information like credit card info, social security numbers, and even passports—besides your password. It's a one-stop shop for all your sensitive data, and thanks to two-factor authentication, everything remains safe.
Download: 1Password (Free, subscription available)
2. Notion
What's an iPhone without Notion? Notion is best described as an advanced productivity app. It beautifully blends notes, tasks, wikis, and databases in a clean, user-friendly interface (that really suits iPhone's native UI). Notion is particularly great if you use your laptop, phone, or tablet regularly, providing seamless cross-platform syncing.
While versatility is its strongest point, the multitude of features in Notion can be overwhelming if you're using it for the first time. Once you've become comfortable with its interface, however, it literally becomes your second brain: storing and organizing everything from daily to-dos to long-term projects.
Download: Notion (Free, subscription available)
3. Documents
While your iPhone has a pre-installed file manager, its utility is limited. This is where comprehensive third-party file managers like Documents come in handy.
It lets you annotate all your documents, and neatly organizes all images, audio, and video files, while also allowing you to access and manage cloud services in one place. It's like carrying a mini office suite in your pocket, compatible with numerous file formats.
One of its standout features is the completely built-in and fully functional browser and VPN. This allows you to download whatever you need directly without having to switch to Safari or Chrome.
Download: Documents (Free, subscription available)
4. MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal is one of the best free fitness apps out there in terms of usefulness reviews. The app allows you to track your calories, plan your meals, and even plan your workouts.
As it has to cater specific goals of a variety of people, it's highly customizable. It gives you personalized recommendations for weight loss, gain, or maintenance, depending on your goals.
But that's just scratching the surface, as community support and a gigantic database of recipes are the key features of MyFitnessPal. Now, you may find its feature-packed interface a bit cluttered initially. But, after playing around in the app a bit, you'll see how it's essential for leading a healthier, more informed lifestyle.
Download: MyFitnessPal (Free, subscription available)
5. Snapseed
One of the key selling points of the iPhone is its camera. While the editing features of the native Photos app are fine, you may find yourself using Snapseed for a bit more customization. It offers a wide range of creative options that allow you to tweak the brightness, contrast, and saturation of each photo.
It even has more advanced features like Selective Colors, Tonal Contrast, Double Contrast, and many more to play around with. Selective Adjustment is another great feature that allows you make tweak specific parts of each photo. Snapseed can be as simple or as complex as you want, thanks to the various tools and filters readily available to you.
Download: Snapseed (Free)
6. Todoist
Todoist is a task management app that can act as your daily to-do list and note-taking app. There are many task management apps nowadays, but Todoist features one of the simplest UI, making it easy to use and manage.
This app has two key features: priority tags and an add-to-calendar option. By assigning priority tags, you can rank tasks based on their urgency and stay on top of your tasks systematically.
When you're making plans with friends and say, "Let's go fishing this Sunday," Todoist would ask you if you'd like to add this to your calendar. This feature, in particular, really helps make, solidify, and execute plans.
Download: Todoist (Free, subscription available)
7. Spark Mail
Spark Mail is a game-changing email app that's perfect for iPhone users looking to enhance their email management. With its Smart Inbox feature, robust search capabilities, and customizable notifications, managing your emails is swift and painless.
Its intuitive interface and advanced features, such as the customizable swipe gestures, quick replies, and email scheduling, make it incredibly versatile.
What sets SparkMail apart from Gmail and Apple's Mail app is its ability to categorize emails intelligently. And the best part? It does it all automatically.
Download: Spark Mail (Free, subscription available)
8. Mint
Mint is a must-have app for finance management and expense tracking. It allows you to easily track and control your cash flow. You can keep track of all expenses, create a monthly budget, and monitor your credit score. Mint also reminds you when bills are due and helps you avoid late fees and missed payments.
It automatically pulls your transaction from your bank accounts and card activity and categorizes them for you. This makes it easy to see where your money is going, allowing you to make realistic financial decisions for the future.
Download: Mint (Free, premium version available)
Third-Party Apps Make Your iPhone Better
While the iPhone already has a lot of value to offer against its hefty price tag, there are features that Apple is yet to bring to iOS. So, until Apple makes the iPhone self-sufficient, it's a good idea to install some of the apps above and maximize your iPhone's potential.
Besides relying on third-party apps, you can use the built-in Shortcuts app to perform tasks that aren't otherwise possible natively, such as locking any app on your iPhone for an extra layer of security.