The new year is almost here, so the BGR staff named our favorite iPhone apps of 2024. Instead of fancy awards, we thought sharing the apps we used the most this year would be a great idea.
While most of them were included in our coverage, there are also a few hidden gems to be found. Now, it's time to spread the word and share our favorite apps of the year so you can check them out for yourself.
BGR's founder, Jonathan Geller, knows a thing or two about the web. Our favorite leaker for the prime days of the iPhone is always ahead of the curve when discovering new trends and technologies. Interestingly, he believes the best iPhone app for 2024 is a well-known software for all of us tech enthusiasts, X.
Easily the best news and social media app on the planet, X is raw and unfiltered. And so is life. In a world where curated narratives often dominate, I believe that you should be able to access information directly, filter, analyze, and think critically — qualities that are more important now than ever.
Zach is all about AI (my words, not his). He has tested every AI app he could find, even the sketchiest ones (also my words). None of them compare to Arc Search, his go-to app in 2024. He tells me:
Google search has become a disjointed mess that almost never returns useful results for me. I've tried every alternative there is, and Arc Search is the best app I've found for my needs. Each search basically returns an AI-generated webpage with concise bullet points and sources that are prominently displayed. Then, for things like local business searches, where conventional search still offers the best experience, you can configure a backup search engine of your choosing and switch to it with a single tap.
In addition to Arc Search, he wanted to give a shout-out to a news aggregator he loved using in 2024. It's called Particle News, and it's the one you should be using:
I've tried just about every AI news aggregator app that crawled out of the woodwork in 2024. There are a few good ones out there like Shades, but Particle News is a cut above the rest for me. It does a great job of generating AI summaries for each story, and source articles are a tap away when you want more info. It also lets you fine-tune your feed with more granular settings than any other AI news app I've found.
If you tested as many games and consoles as Jacob has, there's only one right answer for the best iPhone app of 2024: The Delta app.
Earlier this year, Apple shocked the world by opening the App Store up to retro game emulators for the first time. Dozens of apps have sprung up in the months since, but none offer a more sleek, simple, or reliable solution than Delta. The emulator plays games from all of your favorite classic Nintendo consoles, from NES to DS, and supports popular wireless controllers, save states, custom controller skins, and even the ability to sync your games between devices. No other app had as big an impact on my iPhone in 2024.
To be fair, Jacob also tells me he's using Countdown for the official Nintendo Switch 2 release; I wonder if he knows when to expect the Nintendo Switch successor. He told me not to forget our favorite game of 2024: Pokémon TCG Pocket.
Not even the EU can stop Chris Smith from loving Apple apps. After a year focused on covering the European Commission's requirements for the App Store to become more competitive and less of a monopoly, Chris still thinks some of the best iPhone apps of 2024 are the Health and Fitness apps.
Chris is the runner I want to become someday, and it makes sense why these are his top choices:
The iPhone’s default Health and fitness apps might not immediately come to mind when thinking about the best apps of the year, but they certainly tick that box for me. I’m pairing them as they go hand in hand for my needs. I use an Apple Watch Series 10 with the iPhone not just to track all the health parameters the wearable supports but also to train for running marathons. The Health app tracks all the health data, while the Fitness app handles the workout data that comes from that. As a result, I check both of them routinely on the iPhone, even more so than other useful apps, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT app, which now supports Advanced Voice Mode.
The apps are all the more useful after the iOS 18 and watchOS 11 updates, which bring over the Vitals functionality. Vitals integrates with the Health and Fitness app to keep track of key parameters over time: Heart Rate, Respiratory Rate, Temperature, Blood Oxygen (in non-US markets), and Sleep Duration. The aggregated data can help you determine whether you should keep working out or take a rest day. Also, the Vitals algorithm can predict sickness or at least keep track of it.
Finally, the new Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features deserve a mention. If you own AirPods Pro 2 and these features are available in your region, you can already use the new Health features in iOS 18. Even without an Apple Watch or AirPods Pro, the Health app can give you plenty of useful information about your activity, as the iPhone can still track some workout parameters.
Hey, it's me. Another year is over, but Gentler Streak is forever. I didn't let Chris choose Gentler Streak because I always love the opportunity to talk about how this app changed things for me. So let's quote me:
I discovered Gentler Streak a few winters ago when Apple first promoted this app during American Heart Month. Since then, I've been using and watching Gentler Streak grow season by season. The app evolved from a simple workout tracker, which by the time it was already doing an amazing job, to an all-in-one Wellbeing hub for Apple Watch users.
The magic behind Gentler Streak, besides the lovely Yorhart, is the care with your wellbeing. It's not about closing your rings, but about how you can take care of yourself and your body. Every day, you can check your Activity Path and discover if it's a good day to workout or to rest. If you're undecided, Gentler Streak always recommends you to follow the latter. When you need guidance, the app offers Go Gentler tips with the practices you love the most.
The app is always adding new features, and it has been praised by Apple a few times. If you want to make your New Year's resolutions something permanent, you can start by downloading Gentler Streak.
I also need to mention my go-to hydration app, HidrateSpark. I've been using it for two years, and it's the best combination of hardware and software. I just have to drink water from the bottle, and the app records my hydration throughout the day.
When he's not with his head on the stars and the Space, Josh loves to be on his phone. I mean, he used to. Clarymind has been one of his top apps of 2024 to end with his doom scrolling habit:
A couple of months ago, I decided to try Clarymind to tackle my doomscrolling habit, and let me just say—it’s been a total game-changer. Seriously, this app has transformed how I spend my time on my phone. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through nonsense, I’m more mindful and in control of my screen time. It’s cut down SO much of the wasted “bullshit” time, and I feel so much better for it. Highly recommend giving it a shot if you’re trying to reclaim your time and sanity!
These were our favorite iPhone apps of 2024. In a year marked by AI and fitness focus, the BGR team reflects on what developers are also focusing on. What's your favorite app of 2024? Send me a message at jose@bgr.com.
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