What good is an iPhone without apps? Odds are the first thing a new owner does is head on over to the App Store and stock their phone up with all the apps they can possibly want. In truth, there are a lot of excellent apps made by Apple but if you don't want to use all their stuff for one reason or another, here are some more apps you might want to use in lieu of Apple's offerings.

  • Apple Maps came under a lot of fire for being incredibly bad. Even Tim Cook himself admitted how much of a failure Apple Maps was and encouraged users to go with Google Maps instead. For one, Google Maps is easy to use and more importantly, you will not get lost or murdered, as some users have jokingly claimed Apple Maps would do. Google Maps can now be used for most Apple devices and they are continuously making improvements to make the app even better than it already is.

Download Google Map

  • If you are an individual who struggles with keeping your inbox clean or even just a bit below overflowing, try using Mailbox. It might be much more convenient to use Apple's Mail App since it's already there but you might find that Mailbox is a lot more helpful. With the use of gestures, you can get control of your inbox. There is a feature of Mailbox that is called Later and what it does is push email away and puts it at the very top of your inbox when you so choose. In this way, you no longer have to look at your Mail and feel resigned to a life of full inboxes that you don't want anything to do with.
  • If you want Messages on steroids, check GroupMe out. Not only can you send free messages to your contacts, they don't even need to have the app to be able to get messages from you. As its name implies, it is most useful for anything that involves multiple people, or groups. If you're dining out and need to divide the bill, you can do so with GroupMe.

Download GroupMe

  • Most people use the Notes app in their phones regardless of OS and if you don't want to settle for Apple's preset app, go with Evernote. Its best selling point is its ease of use. With Evernote, your brilliant ideas need no longer go down the drain since you can easily whip your smartphone out whenever your muse inspires you.

Download Evernote

  • Music lovers of the world, rejoice! Buying songs on the iTunes store just isn't an option for everyone so if you want to get your music fix without breaking the bank, Spotify is here to help. The app lets you stream songs online for $9.99 monthly. Although it did get some criticism from major artists because they seemed to make no money off the app, there are still lots of people who are thankful for its existence.

Download Spotify

  • Who doesn't like discussing the weather or complaining about it on social media websites? If you want to be at the top of weather updates, give Check the Weather a try. It will even tell you when it will rain and be accurate. With this app, you will get the chance to dress appropriately for the weather and know if you should take your umbrella out with you or not.
  • Your life becomes a bit simpler when you utilize to-do lists and what better way to incorporate them into your digital life than putting it in your smartphone? Use Checkmark to monitor your tasks and know if there's still something left to do.

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