If you buy an iPhone or iPad, a whole series of Apple apps are installed on it by default. However, there are alternatives that are better. iPhone list them for you.
The best Apple apps alternatives
Apple installs a bunch of apps on your iPhone or iPad by default, so you can get started without any hassle. In general, these apps are well put together. Yet there are also a lot of smart app makers who go that little bit further. As a result, there are great alternatives for these Apple apps in the App Store. These alternatives not only offer more functions and possibly a finer design, but also receive more frequent updates.
Also read our opinion: Apple should update its default apps via the App Store
1. Alternative to Apple Music: Spotify
Apple Music and Spotify are close to each other when it comes to features and ease of use. Spotify shines in the personal touch, however. Such as the personal playlist with new music from artists you have listened to before, and a playlist with music you don’t know yet but probably like. Also cool are the personal playlists with songs you listened to the most in the previous year, or your favorite summer hits.
2. Alternative to Apple Mail: Gmail
Unfortunately, Inbox is a thing of the past, but Google’s Gmail is also an excellent email app. Gmail is packed with useful features to better handle all the emails you get. The most important emails are at the top, messages you are not ready for yet snooze, and the app has an excellent search function. Gmail also just works with POP3, IMAP and so on.
3. Alternative to Apple Calendar: Fantastical
Apple’s Calendar app is fine, but if you’re looking for a nicer app with more features, Fantastical is the place to be. The app lets you easily add appointments by typing that you have a deadline next Tuesday, for example. The app automatically puts the appointment in the right place. Unfortunately, Fantastiscal does not support Dutch.
Free alternative with Dutch support: Google Calendar.
4. Alternative to Apple Notes: Drafts
Drafts is a very nice app to place notes, because there is no barrier between your thoughts and the notes. Open the app and you can write immediately. The next time you open the app, you will see the blank screen for writing again. But don’t worry: your notes are safely stored.
Free alternative: Google Keep.
5. Alternative to Podcasts: Pocket Casts
Apple’s own podcast app is great if you listen to an episode every now and then. However, if you listen to several shows every week, you can really treat yourself to a better app. Pocket Casts is the best podcast app in the App Store in our opinion. With a nice design, easy navigation, playlists, a lot of possibilities for playback speed and skip silences and much more.
Free alternative: Overcast.
6. Alternative to FaceTime: Skype
FaceTime is a convenient way to communicate with each other via video. A big disadvantage is that you can only speak to people who have an Apple device. However, there are plenty of Android users, or people who barely even touch a smartphone. That is why Skype is a handy alternative, because with this app you come into contact with each other via practically all devices and operating systems.
7. Alternative to Apple Maps: Google Maps
Although Apple has improved its maps app in recent years after all the criticism, the company cannot compete with Google in this case. Google’s app is packed with features to make traveling and exploring your surroundings more enjoyable. The app also provides excellent updates on current traffic situations and lets you save areas offline.
8. Alternative to Weather: Hello Weather
Apple’s weather app is quite limited. Fortunately, Hello Weather has a very clear and beautiful design with a lot of functions. The app clearly indicates what the weather is like now and what the expectations are. You have to pay to use all functions. Only then do you get the radar, a dark mode, other sources for the weather data and more.
9. Alternative to Reminders: Any.do
Any.do is a nice alternative to Apple’s limited Reminders app. In this app you can easily add tasks that are automatically placed in a calendar. The app also makes it possible to collaborate with others, assigning tasks to each other. Your to-do’s are synced across all your devices.
10. Alternative to Apple Books: Kindle
Kindle is the right place for reading books in an app. It is hands down the nicest reading app in the App Store. While the app is affiliated with Amazon and the ebooks you buy there, you also get an email address to send PDFs to, among other things, so you can read them through the app.
With these apps you will find a lot of new functions, but did you know that your iPhone already has some handy hidden functions by default?
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