⚒️ Default Apps for 2024
Saturday, December 21, 2024
I’ve been wanting to write about my most used apps for so long but didn’t have enough motivation to do so, until I came across this directory of apps people commonly use. Inspired by this, I’ve decided to compile a list of my default apps.
Prioritize Native Apps, then Fantastic Updates for New OS Support in Apps
For over ten years, I have enthusiastically tried thousands of apps. Throughout this time, I have learned that the best apps are the ones that withstand the test of time, receive frequent updates to support new operating system features, and, if necessary, offer excellent options for sharing and exporting.
The most important lesson I’ve learned from my years is this: the less I have to worry about the longevity of support, the better. And ultimately, which apps would have a longer lifespan than Apple’s own apps?
Therefore, this year, I have decided to mostly use native apps instead of trying to find apps with the best features.
Only if Apple’s implementation did not meet my standards then would I choose popular apps that closely follow native app guidelines and are most suitable for my use cases. That is why I have chosen a vastly different list of apps this year compared to my previous years, but I’m happy with my current choice.
However, since writing, learning, and note-taking have been my passion, I don’t use Apple Notes and Freeform because it’s difficult to export and share to other apps. Therefore, I couldn’t bring myself to use the native apps, and opted for Drafts and Bear as Apple Notes alternatives, and Muse as a Freeform alternative.
My Default Apps List
- 📨 Mail Client: Spark (I’ve yet enough time to figure out my workflow for Apple Mail yet)
- 📮 Mail Server: Gmail, Hotmail, Custom Domain using Porkbun with iCloud server.
- ✍️ Journaling: Drafts (daily log which would sent to other apps), Stoic.(morning and evening prompts), Day One (memory keeping with photos and videos)
- 📝 Notes&Writing: Drafts (jotting downs ideas and tasks to fully crafted articles), iA Writer (Long-form writing), Craft (large projects), Obsidian (daily journal, reference notes, but uses iA Writer to access files on mobile devices), Bear (Book Notes because it’s much simpler to use it for attachments)
- 👩💻 Blogging: Using Ulysses or Drafts to publish on my main blog in Micro.blog. Also use Scribbles, Bear Blog, and Ghost hosting with MagicPages for my other blogs.
- 💡 Brainstorming and Ideation: Muse as my digital whiteboard
- ✅ To-Do: Apple Reminders (Just ditched Things), Agenda (for projects but considering just using Apple Notes or Craft instead.)
- 📆 Calendar: Apple Calendar, but still use widgets from BusyCal
- 📚 Books: Kindle, Libby, Audible
- 💪 Health and Fitness: Apple Fitness and Apple Health(for logging) and Gentler Streak (health state), just ditched Fitbod (tracking workout progress), Athlytic and Bevel(daily exertion and recovery), Foodnoms(food log)
- 📷 iPhone Photo Shooting: Apple Camera
- 🟦 Photo Editing: Photomator, Darkroom
- 📁 Cloud File Storage: iCloud for active files, OneDrive for archiving
- 📖 RSS: News Explorer
- 🌐 Browser: Arc and Safari, but considering trying out Zen Browser next year.
- 💬 Chat: Line, Facebook Messenger, Instagram
- 🔖 Bookmarks: Goodlinks (for websites), Play-Save Videos Watch Later (for videos)
- 📑 Read It Later: Readwise Reader
- 📰 News: My Family and RSS feeds, but mostly my family, LOL.
- 🎵 Music: Spotify
- 💰 Budgeting and Personal Finance: Still figuring out.