14 DAY TRIAL // Developers, especially independent ones, are a new kind of breed. Some of them start development with iOS because of the tools Apple provides, and they stick with the platform even though their app is amazing and would have good sales on Android or Windows Phone.
The AppStore editors have created an ever-growing selection of apps that are only on iOS. You can check it every once in a while and see the new releases, the apps or the games that can only be found on an iPhone or iPad.
We've taken that selection even further to present you with the best apps that work on iOS. No one is saying that there aren't great alternatives, but these apps are the gold standard in their respective fields and there's no telling whether the developers will ever switch gears and launch an Android counterpart.
The first app we are going to talk about is not made by one developer, but by a huge company. "Paper – stories from Facebook" is a unique way to check out what's new and cool on Facebook. The app looks great on the iPhone and you can tell it's an experiment that really enriches the experience the user has when trying to see pictures of his friends or read the stories they post online. Paper is free.
Day One is the premiere journaling app for iOS and Mac. No wonder the developers received the 2014 Mac Apple Design Award and a similar prize for the iPhone version back in 2012. This app is simply the best way to take notes, add events, pictures, location and music and view them after that in a superb interface.
Day One is currently $4.99 (€3.76), but it has been heavily discounted in the past so you may want to add it to your AppStore Wishlist.
Reeder 2 is the best RSS Feed reader, hands down. Created by independent developer Silvio Rizzi, this app is a model of good taste and well-executed design and functionality. Reeder uses 11 syncing engines for feeds and once you buy it, you can use it on your iPad as well.
Fantastical 2 is the Calendar client Apple should have launched. This app works on the iPhone, but you can always buy the iPad or Mac version. What makes it great is the fact that it recognizes natural language. You can either type or say something like "Lunch with Diana in San Francisco on Friday" and the app is smart enough to fill in all the fields and set a reminder for you.
And you can't leave this category without mentioning iA Writer. It has the same $4.99 (€3.76) price tag as all of the above apps. This is an app that lets your creative side evolve. Open it and you are going to get a simple interface to write a short note or ideas for your next big novel. iA Writer brings keyboard extensions and syncing via iCloud or Dropbox.
