Apps have dominated our lives for the last decade, and in 2019 they only became more a part of how we move through the world each day — how we communicate, learn, travel, watch TV and play. The introduction of the iPhone 11 and Apple’s major moves into the world of subscription gaming and TV services only made the apps that give us access to them more important.
The following iPhone apps were either introduced in 2019, got a major update, thanks to a new service (looking at you, Apple TV) or gained a cultural currency that we hadn’t seen previously (I mean, The Washington Post has a TikTok channel with hundreds of thousands of followers now), and the CNET staff believed they deserved recognition. Without further ado, here are the best iPhone apps of the year.
Spectre Camera
Apple recently awarded the AI photography app Spectre Camera its title of iPhone App of the Year. Spectre uses machine learning to take simulated long-exposure photos on your iPhone — an effect that previously required a DSLR or mirrorless camera. The app also includes support for the ultrawide camera on the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro.
TikTok
TikTok is a social video app where you can watch people lip-syncing or dancing to songs, or create videos of yourself doing the same. While it was released in 2016, this year was when TikTok truly went mainstream: In November, the app surpassed 1.5 billion downloads worldwide on the App Store and Google Play, with more than 600 million downloads in 2019 alone. TikTok was also the third most-downloaded non-gaming app of the year, following WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger — putting it ahead of the main Facebook app and Instagram, according to mobile intelligence firm Sensor Tower.
Apple Arcade games
Apple introduced its gaming subscription service Apple Arcade in September, at a price of $5 per month. Its catalog of more than 100 games — available as downloadable apps for most iOS devices from the service in the App Store — range from updates of nostalgic favorites like Pac-Man Party Royale and Frogger in Toy Town to puzzle games, mystery games and kid-friendly games. Apple recently named the music and motorcycle racing game Sayonara Wild Hearts as the Apple Arcade Game of the Year.
Disney Plus
Disney’s $7/month streaming service Disney Plus launched in November to lots of fanfare — and got 10 million subscribers in just one day. The platform includes some 500 movies and 7,500 episodes of TV, including Disney classics, as well as Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar and the Simpsons (not to mention new original show The Mandalorian, which introduced us to America’s sweetheart, Baby Yoda). Disney has already made some changes to improve the streaming experience, including a resume button.
Apple TV
The Apple TV app has been a hub for movies and TV shows for a couple years, but got a big revamp this year and it became the home for Apple TV Plus, the company’s $5-per-month TV streaming service, in November. The streaming platform is home to the star-studded drama The Morning Show and a number of other original shows, all accessible through the Apple TV app, which offers a clean, easy-to-navigate interface.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
In 2019, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was the hottest augmented reality, app-based game, from the creators of Pokemon Go. The game pits players against dark wizards and magical beasts to save characters from the Harry Potter books. You play by walking around the real world, following the game’s map through the app on your phone. Though it had some security flaws, Wizards Unite showed us that Pokemon Go wasn’t just a fluke, and AR games are here to stay. It also brought in $1.1 million on its launch weekend, according to Sensor Tower.
Craigslist
Online classified ads site Craigslist has been around since 1995, but crazily enough, it didn’t get an iOS app until December of 2019. The app has a simple, nonfussy interface that’s reminiscent of the website version, where you can search for everything from jobs to furniture to cars to purchase. The app currently has 4 out of 5 stars and more than 150 ratings in the App Store.