Apple's iPhone apps are a waste of time. These 8 alternatives are way better

Want to think different when it comes to your iPhone's apps? There are plenty of brilliant options outside Apple’s default apps. Here are our favorites

- BY ALEX BLAKE

The last few years have seen Apple open up its ecosystem more than any of us previously thought possible, and part of that means you can now change your iPhone's default apps with relative ease. For example, instead of being forced into Safari every time you tap a web link, you can have your device open a different browser instead.

This newfound choice has opened the door to a host of excellent third-party apps that are ready to step into the void left by Apple's default choices, should you wish to change them—and in many cases, you should. Here, we've rounded up a few of our favorites. In some instances, you can change your default app choice to one of these options, in others you can't, but you can still use our picks to elevate your iPhone regardless. Here’s how you can switch it all up.

DITCH: REMINDERS GET: THINGS

Apple’s Reminders app has never really kept up with third-party alternatives, and even when it was overhauled at WWDC 2024, it still left us wanting more. But you don't have to settle for Apple's effort. Install Things (fave.co/4lcEpSy) instead.

This well-known app is a great example of what a to-do list app can be. It contains all the power-user tools you'd expect, like smart lists, ongoing projects with headings and completable subsections, a context-aware plus button for adding and moving tasks, supersmart and speedy search, and more.

It's also beautifully designed, so much so that it puts even Apple to shame. With delightful interactions and an interface that just works, Things is enjoyable to use, no matter the complexity of your to-do list. Go get Things in the App Store (fave.co/46jNIk7).

Things is beautifully designed and offers much more than Apple's Reminders.

DITCH: CAMERA GET: HALIDE