Best iOS apps (September 2019 edition)
Mobility
Looking for some cool apps to install on your new iPhone 11? Here are some that are worth checking out — and best of all, most of them are completely free to use!
PCalc
- Download here.
For anyone looking for a calculator that does more than the basic one that ships with iOS (folks such as scientists, engineers, students, programmers, and so on), PCalc is for you. This app is so good that I recommend the paid-for version (especially for iPad users, who still don't get a built-in calculator!).
It also comes with an Apple Watch app, meaning that you're never without a calculator!
Weather Pro
- Download here.
I've used a lot of weather apps, but I keep coming back to Weather Pro. Not only does it seem to be the most accurate, but it's also well integrated with iOS, and displays weather information is a sensible way.
Whether you just want a basic overview of an in-depth look, Weather Pro has you covered!
Here's some of what you get:
- 7-day forecast data in periods of 3 hours
- Weather reports for 2 million worldwide locations
- Comprehensive details on temperature, wind direction/ speed, air pressure, precipitation amount/ probability, relative humidity, UV index, feels like temperature and more
- Worldwide alerts and warning levels for extreme weather
- Unlimited favorite locations synchronisable via iCloud
- Global satellite and animated radar for the USA, Australia and much of Europe
- Additional features like widget, webcams, weather photo, weather news, etc.
- No adverts
F-Secure Freedome
- Download here.
Without a doubt, Freedome is my favorite VPN service. I've now used it for several years and not only is it simple to set up, but it's also highly reliable, and I rarely encounter any issues when using it -- and I've put terabytes of data through this VPN over the years I've been using it!
Running a quality VPN gives me peace of mind that my data is secured, even when using sketchy Wi-Fi connections (and because all my data is going through it I don't want to be using a sketchy VPN either!).
F-Secure FREEDOME VPN is free to download and use for 5 days. It's quick to install – no registrations or settings required. After that, prices start at $5.99 a month.
Google Authenticator
- Download here.
A robust and easy-to-use 2-step authenticator that can be used to protect your Google accounts and other online accounts that support an authenticator.
I've used several different authenticator apps and this one is the best by far.
Features include:
- Automatic setup via QR codes
- Support for multiple accounts
- Support for time-based and counter-based code generation
iOS 12.4 draining your iPhone battery fast? Here's what you should do
LastPass Password Manager
- Download here.
There's are a lot of password managers out there, but based on my testing and real-world usage, LastPass is without a doubt the best of the bunch (and the competition is very stiff).
With the release of iOS 12, LastPass can now autofill from within apps. Simply launch your apps and LastPass will fill in your username and password.
Lastpass securely encrypts your data with AES 256-bit encryption and doesn't have access to any of your data.
1.1.1.1: Faster Internet
- Download here.
Automatically encrypt your DNS queries so that you can browse privately using Cloudflare's global network. You also get better performance, thanks to 1.1.1.1 being some 28 percent faster than the next fastest public resolver out there.
No upsells, no in-app purchases, and free for life.
Just Press Record
- Download here.
Just Press Record is the ultimate mobile audio recorder bringing one tap recording, transcription and iCloud syncing to all your devices. You can operate it hands-free using Siri or from your Apple Watch.
Office Lens
- Download here.
If you are using your iPhone or iPad's camera to take photos of documents and whiteboards, there's no better app for cleaning up and converting these photos into almost perfect scans than Office Lens. And best of all, it's 100 percent free!
Manual Camera 2
- Download here.
This app gives you total control over everything the iOS camera offers — from focus and exposure to shutter speed and the flash level. It also allows you to capture RAW images on later devices, as well as up to 4K video.
IFTTT
- Download here.
This is one of those services that once you start using it, you mash never be able to put it down again!
At the core, if IFTTT is automation. If you want to automate something, there's a good chance that you can do it with IFTTT. Over 600 apps work with IFTTT including Twitter, Telegram, Google Drive, Twitch, Weather Underground, Instagram, Gmail, and devices like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Nest, and Philips Hue.