The week is over and that means that a fresh app overview is waiting for you! As far as we are concerned, you should not miss these new apps, games and updates. You can find the best iOS apps from week 8 (2018) here.
The best iOS apps at a glance
The App Store works overtime every week to handle the never-ending stream of new apps and updates. However, you will hardly notice this, because only a small part of it is worth installing. If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch can use some new apps, you’ve come to the right place.
1. Alto’s Odyssey
Alto’s Adventure is not only one of our favorite iOS games of the past few years, but also the game that we have probably played the most. In the sequel, Alto’s Odyssey, the snow plains from Adventure have been swapped for the desert. Combine that with different lighting and colors and you immediately have a completely different atmosphere. The desert is also filled with new elements, such as balloons that keep the streamers up and whirlwinds that make you jump.
For the rest, Alto’s Odyssey is mainly very similar to the original. On the one hand, that’s okay, because the gameplay is rock solid. With the push of a button you jump, by holding you turn in your air. The simple controls are also enough to keep you glued to the screen for hours. Did you not play the original or do you simply want more of the same? Then Alto’s Odyssey is the right place for you.
→ Download Alto’s Odyssey from the App Store (5.49 euros)
2. ‘sodes
‘sodes is the podcast app for people who listen to a podcast every now and then and is mainly about minimalism. The app does what it should do: play podcasts. The app does this in the simplest way we have encountered so far. You can start listening right away, without having to subscribe to shows.
In addition, the design of ‘sodes is very simple and straightforward: you are definitely not drowning in an abundance of options. For example, your home screen is divided into three categories: favorite podcasts, episodes you are currently listening to, and episodes you have yet to listen to. However minimalistic the app is, fortunately there is some possibility for personalization.
→ Download ‘sodes from the App Store (3.49 euros)
3. Florence
When someone behind the beautiful Monument Valley makes a new game, our attention is immediately piqued. The app is more of an interactive storybook than a game, but couldn’t be told in any other way than through your iPhone’s touchscreen. The story is about Florence. She is 25 years old, has a somewhat boring job and her mother does not want to stop asking if she already has a boyfriend. One day she bumps into the talented and handsome cello player Krish and a beautiful relationship soon develops.
The game is not long. With forty minutes you have gone through the story and it is finished. Still, Florence manages to make a big impression in that short time and the game lingers longer than titles that we have spent many hours in. What the game shines in is the interaction. Florence shows the power of interactive comics. The way in which you as a reader / player go through the story is original and actually adds something.
→ Download Florence from the App Store (3.49 euros)
4. SwiftKey
SwiftKey is one of the best-known keyboard apps for iOS. It has been around since the introduction of alternative keyboards in 2014 and continues to be constantly updated. SwiftKey is a comprehensive keyboard that offers many customization options. You can use the standard version, but in the app you will also find other color schemes to display it entirely to your own taste. In addition, Swiftkey offers useful options that you can switch on and off.
Also fun: the app keeps track of, among other things, whether you have become more productive, how many typos have been corrected and how many words have been correctly predicted. However, the app does not support GIFs and there is no 3D Touch on the keyboard to move the cursor.
→ Download SwiftKey from the App Store (free)
5. Snapchat
Snapchat has released a major update. The most eye-catching addition is the ability to add animated stickers, aka gif files. You can choose from the entire Giphy catalog. On top of that, some unique gifs have been created by the Snapchat team. So whatever you want to portray: there is always a matching GIF.
In addition, they listened to the criticism of users and made the app more transparent. From now on, the ‘Friends’ and’ Explore ‘pages make a clearer distinction between friends’ stories, group chats, and stories from professionals. Snapchat does this by adding tabs. Since the ‘new look’ of the app, Snapchat users have been complaining: the new design would be unclear.
→ Download Snapchat from the App Store (free)