Top 5 Unexpected Apps of 2019

You might not believe it but, on average, an individual is said to spend an astonishing 3 hours and 15 minutes looking at their phone screen each day. If that figure weren’t scary enough, this equates to just under 50 days annually – which translates to around 13.7% of our year spent staring at a phone. It, therefore, seems essential to question; what exactly do our phones offer to keep us so entertained? The broad answer; apps.

Whether you prefer gaming, musical or informational applications there is undoubtedly one out there that is tailored toward you – and lack of choice is definitely not an issue! Currently, there are 2.2 million apps available on the Apple App Store and a massive 2.8 million apps available on the Google Play Store.

Unsurprisingly, 2019 found that major players which dominated in terms of active users, downloads and screen time were social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp. However, the year also showcased some surprises that kept us glued to our phones!

So, without further ado, here are the top 5 unexpected apps of 2019:

TikTok showcases a vast selection of talent from comedy to dance to music – accommodating every audience!

Many have likened the platform to the long-departed ‘Vine’, but it shows no sign of following in its predecessor’s footsteps with a massive 500 million active users worldwide!

The front runners, as you would expect, are platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. However, an application that offers a reputable music service with a slightly different focus is TuneIn. The application can be used on several devices and provides huge amounts of content; from podcasts to music to live sports coverage – offering users a massive spectrum of entertainment.  Like many major services, TuneIn offers both free and premium versions for user experience making it an accessible app for all.

However, what 10% Happier does brilliantly is market toward an audience that isn’t wholly at ease with meditation as a practice.

For those who haven’t tried mediation previously, or are perhaps out of their routine, this app is ideal. Starting at a beginner’s level, it eases you into meditation at your own individual pace.

10% Happier also ensures that users are shown new content and features throughout their meditation journey, distributing new talks and routines on a weekly basis and additionally offers short, ten-minute mediations that fit within a busy lifestyle – so ‘not having the time’ is no longer a barrier!

For those of us that aren’t 100% clued up in the art of meditation, 10% Happier offers a feasible and enjoyable alternative.

Drunk Mode has become reasonably popular in the last year and it’s no wonder why. The app has five main elements; a drunk dialling blocker, a ‘find my drunk’ feature, a breakdown of where your night took you, a safe ride home option and finally gives you all the best hotspots for your big night out. With damage control and advice on where to go, we can’t really fault this app!

Flush uses a database of over 190,000 public bathrooms to notify you of your closest facility so that no matter where you are, you can feel assured that there is somewhere to go when you need to go.

This may not match the entertainment value of the prior applications but it certainly surpasses them in functionality.