Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Here are the 5 apps you should download this week

iOS 9 home screen
Image used with permission by copyright holder
App stores are crowded places these days, and because storage space on your phone is often at a premium, you’ll want to find and fill it with not only the best, but also the most helpful apps out there. Because they come and go quicker than the latest fashion trends, and digging through Google Play, the iTunes App Store, or any of the others is such a mission; a little nudge in the right direction is often very welcome. Here are the apps we think you need to check out this week.

Free

Screen Shot 2015-06-12 at 1.30.25 AM
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Here’s the paradox of social networks: the more active you are on them, the less social you’re being in real life. You can keep up with everything your friends are doing, but if you take a second, you realize that all those photos they post have a constant: you aren’t in them. If you’d want to step away from the screen and back into the picture, Free might be the tool to help you do it.

Designed as a modern social network for making you actually socialize, it utilizes some familiar tools from the days of internet yesteryear. You’re given three status options that you can set for yourself: going out, flexible, and busy. You and all of your friends list availability, making it easy to see who’s around and who’s ready to do something. From there, organize your pals with a roll call and hit the town together to make some memories that don’t have to be shared on a digital wall.

iTunes

DrumUp

DrumUp
Every major publication on the web has people in charge of managing their social media presence, but there’s nothing keeping you from having one too. If you’re a massive sharer on Facebook and Twitter, DrumUp can take over some of the tasks for you. The app searches for content that you and your friends and followers will find interesting, then schedules a time to share it on your feeds. If you enjoy curating the Web for your friends, this app will cut down on the amount of work it takes, while making you look even more awesome.

Google Play

VideoPop

VideoPop

If you’ve seen those cool compilation posts where people create a photo or video gallery cataloging a day in their life, and thought, “I should try that some time;” VideoPop has you covered. The calendar tool reminds you to take a minute each day to capture your experiences for posterity. It’s a great way to remember little moments in your life that might play a bigger role when you look back on them.

iTunes

Opener

Opener
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There isn’t much to Opener; it’s a tiny app with a single, specialized skill; but it’s one that’s really handy. Mobile-friendly websites are great, but a deep link to the official app installed on your phone would be even better. For instance, if you click a Twitter link, it usually directs to Twitter’s mobile site instead of the Twitter app. Opener fixes that, sending links directly to their corresponding app installed on your device. Sometimes the simplest tools are the most powerful ones.

iTunes

Apples to Apples

ApplestoApples
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When it comes to card games, it’s hard to beat Apples to Apples. It’s a game that people of all ages can enjoy — but is often even more amusing when you revisit the game as an adult. Like many classics before it, Apples to Apples is getting a digital rebirth. Available on iOS devices, the title now allows for up to five people to throw out their best cards in real time and let the judge pick the winner. And of course, it picks up some new school flair with social integration and trending card combinations.

iTunes

Editors' Recommendations

AJ Dellinger
AJ Dellinger is a freelance reporter from Madison, Wisconsin with an affinity for all things tech. He has been published by…
Perplexity, one of our favorite AI apps, just got a big update
Perplexity app shown on an iPhone.

If you've been looking for more than just traditional search engines, you may have turned to Perplexity. The app allows users to ask questions and receive quick, accurate answers from a carefully selected set of sources, all powered by ChatGPT. Now, a new software update is making Perplexity AI even better.

Perplexity Pages allows you to transform your research into visually engaging and comprehensive content. Whether you are creating detailed articles, reports, or informative guides, Perplexity Pages brings your ideas to life. This new tool simplifies organizing and sharing information, giving you more control. You also have the option to publish your work to Perplexity’s library of user-generated content, where you can showcase your expertise.

Read more
Apple’s AI plans for the iPhone just leaked. Here’s everything we know
The back of a Natural Titanium iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Apple is the only major name in the world of Big Tech that hasn’t made its ambitious AI plans public yet. But that will change in a few weeks, with a focus on reimagining the iPhone experience. Bloomberg, citing internal sources, has detailed how Apple plans to integrate generative AI experiences with iOS 18, the next major build of its iPhone operating system.

The company plans to push new AI-powered capabilities not just in such in-house apps as Safari and Maps, but also in experiences like the notification system and a supercharged Spotlight search. Notably, Apple will push the bulk of AI processing to the iPhone’s silicon, and only a minor portion of it will be pushed to the cloud.

Read more
Arc Search, one of the best iPhone apps right now, just got even better
Arc Search's Call Arc feature.

One of our favorite iPhone browser apps has just introduced an interesting new feature. Arc Search’s new "Call Arc" tool functions similarly to making a phone call on your iPhone 15 Pro or other iPhone. Instead of speaking to someone on the other end of the line, though, you ask Arc to answer your queries. The outcome is fresh and unique, and it actually works really well.

Before its latest software update, Arc Search already offered a voice search feature. The AI-powered Call Arc is different and designed for people on the go who are looking for quick answers to short questions.

Read more