Skip to main content
TechRadar TechRadar the technology experts
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
RSS
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Phones
    • Popular Phone Brands
      • iPhone
      • Samsung Galaxy
      • Google Pixel
      • Nothing
      • Motorola
      • OnePlus
      • Xiaomi
      • Honor
      • Oppo
      • Huawei
    • Operating Systems
      • Android
      • iOS
    • More from Phones
      • Network Carriers
      • Phone Accessories
      • Phone Reviews
      • Phone Buying Guides
      • Phone Deals
      • Phone News
  • Computing
    • Laptops
      • Chromebooks
      • MacBooks
      • Windows Laptops
      • Gaming Laptops
    • PCs
      • Desktop PCs
      • Macs
      • Gaming PCs
    • Software
      • Windows
      • macOS
    • Components
      • CPUs
      • GPUs
      • Storage
      • Nvidia
      • Intel
    • Internet
      • Websites & Apps
      • Wi-Fi & Broadband
      • Social Media
      • Wordle
    • Security
      • Antivirus
      • Cyber Security
    • Tablets
      • eReaders
      • iPad
    • VR & AR
    • Peripherals
      • Monitors
      • Keyboards
      • Webcams
      • Mice
    • Popular Computing Brands
      • Dell
      • HP
      • Lenovo
      • Acer
    • More from Computing
      • Computing Reviews
      • Computing Buying Guides
      • Computing Deals
      • Computing News
  • AI
    • AI Platforms & Assistants
    • OpenAI
    • ChatGPT
    • Gemini
    • Apple Intelligence
    • Claude
  • TVs
    • TV Insights
      • TV Reviews
      • TV Buying Guides
      • TV Deals
      • TV News
    • More for your TV
      • Home Theatre
      • Soundbars
      • Streaming Devices
      • Projectors
      • Blu-ray
  • Streaming
    • Entertainment
    • Netflix
    • Prime Video
    • Disney+
    • Apple TV+
    • HBO Max
    • Hulu
    • Paramount+
    • How to Watch
  • Fitness
    • Fitness
      • Smartwatches
      • Fitness Trackers
      • Exercise Equipment
      • Fitness Headphones
      • Fitness Apps
      • Smart Rings
    • Watch Brands
      • Apple Watch
      • Fitbit
      • Garmin
      • Google Pixel Watch
      • Samsung Galaxy Watch
    • Wellbeing
      • Sleep
      • Oral Health
    • More from Fitness
      • Fitness News
      • Fitness Reviews
      • Fitness Buying Guides
      • Fitness Deals
  • Audio
    • Headphones
      • Earbuds & AirPods
      • Wireless Headphones
    • Speakers
      • Wireless Speakers
      • Sonos
    • Hi-Fi
      • Turntables
      • Portable Players
      • DACs
    • Audio Streaming
      • Spotify
      • Apple Music
    • More from Audio
      • Audio News
      • Audio Reviews
      • Audio Buying Guides
      • Audio Deals
  • VPN
    • VPN Services
    • VPN Security
    • ExpressVPN
    • NordVPN
  • Cameras
    • Camera Types
      • Mirrorless
      • DSLRs
      • Compact
      • Action
      • Video
      • Drones
      • 360 Cameras
      • Dash Cams
    • Camera Brands
      • Canon
      • DJI
      • Fujifilm
      • Nikon
      • GoPro
      • Insta360
    • More from Cameras
      • Camera Accessories
      • Camera Lenses
      • Camera Reviews
      • Camera Buying Guides
      • Camera Deals
      • Camera News
      • Photography
  • Home
    • Smart Home
      • Home Security
      • Smart Speakers
      • Smart Lights
      • Smart Scales
      • Smart Thermostats
      • Amazon Echo
    • Small Appliances
      • Air Fryers
      • Air Quality
      • Coffee Machines
      • Hair Care
      • Vacuums
      • Robot Vacuums
    • Home Brands
      • Dyson
      • Philips Hue
      • Ring
      • Shark
      • Ninja
    • More from Home
      • Home Reviews
      • Home Buying Guides
      • Home Deals
      • Home News
  • EVs
  • Browse
    • By Type
      • News
      • Best
      • Reviews
      • Deals
      • Versus
      • How To
      • Opinion
      • Coupons
    • Popular Brands
      • Samsung
      • Sony
      • Microsoft
      • Apple
Tech Radar Pro Tech Radar Gaming
  • Phones
    • View Phones
      • iPhone
      • Samsung Galaxy
      • Google Pixel
      • Nothing
      • Motorola
      • OnePlus
      • Xiaomi
      • Honor
      • Oppo
      • Huawei
      • Android
      • iOS
      • Network Carriers
      • Phone Accessories
      • Phone Reviews
      • Phone Buying Guides
      • Phone Deals
      • Phone News
  • Computing
    • View Computing
    • Laptops
      • View Laptops
      • Chromebooks
      • MacBooks
      • Windows Laptops
      • Gaming Laptops
      • Desktop PCs
      • Macs
      • Gaming PCs
    • Software
      • View Software
      • Windows
      • macOS
    • Components
      • View Components
      • CPUs
      • GPUs
      • Storage
      • Nvidia
      • Intel
    • Internet
      • View Internet
      • Websites & Apps
      • Wi-Fi & Broadband
      • Social Media
      • Wordle
    • Security
      • View Security
      • Antivirus
      • Cyber Security
    • Tablets
      • View Tablets
      • eReaders
      • iPad
    • VR & AR
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Monitors
      • Keyboards
      • Webcams
      • Mice
      • Dell
      • HP
      • Lenovo
      • Acer
      • Computing Reviews
      • Computing Buying Guides
      • Computing Deals
      • Computing News
  • AI
    • View AI
    • AI Platforms & Assistants
    • OpenAI
    • ChatGPT
    • Gemini
    • Apple Intelligence
    • Claude
  • TVs
    • View TVs
      • TV Reviews
      • TV Buying Guides
      • TV Deals
      • TV News
      • Home Theatre
      • Soundbars
      • Streaming Devices
      • Projectors
      • Blu-ray
  • Streaming
    • View Streaming
    • Entertainment
    • Netflix
    • Prime Video
    • Disney+
    • Apple TV+
    • HBO Max
    • Hulu
    • Paramount+
    • How to Watch
  • Fitness
    • View Fitness
      • Smartwatches
      • Fitness Trackers
      • Exercise Equipment
      • Fitness Headphones
      • Fitness Apps
      • Smart Rings
      • Apple Watch
      • Fitbit
      • Garmin
      • Google Pixel Watch
      • Samsung Galaxy Watch
      • Sleep
      • Oral Health
      • Fitness News
      • Fitness Reviews
      • Fitness Buying Guides
      • Fitness Deals
  • Audio
    • View Audio
    • Headphones
      • View Headphones
      • Earbuds & AirPods
      • Wireless Headphones
    • Speakers
      • View Speakers
      • Wireless Speakers
      • Sonos
    • Hi-Fi
      • View Hi-Fi
      • Turntables
      • Portable Players
      • DACs
    • Audio Streaming
      • View Audio Streaming
      • Spotify
      • Apple Music
      • Audio News
      • Audio Reviews
      • Audio Buying Guides
      • Audio Deals
  • VPN
    • View VPN
    • VPN Services
    • VPN Security
    • ExpressVPN
    • NordVPN
  • Cameras
    • View Cameras
      • Mirrorless
      • DSLRs
      • Compact
      • Action
      • Video
      • Drones
      • 360 Cameras
      • Dash Cams
      • Canon
      • DJI
      • Fujifilm
      • Nikon
      • GoPro
      • Insta360
      • Camera Accessories
      • Camera Lenses
      • Camera Reviews
      • Camera Buying Guides
      • Camera Deals
      • Camera News
      • Photography
  • Home
    • View Home
    • Smart Home
      • View Smart Home
      • Home Security
      • Smart Speakers
      • Smart Lights
      • Smart Scales
      • Smart Thermostats
      • Amazon Echo
    • Small Appliances
      • View Small Appliances
      • Air Fryers
      • Air Quality
      • Coffee Machines
      • Hair Care
      • Vacuums
      • Robot Vacuums
      • Dyson
      • Philips Hue
      • Ring
      • Shark
      • Ninja
      • Home Reviews
      • Home Buying Guides
      • Home Deals
      • Home News
  • EVs
  • Browse
    • View Browse
      • News
      • Best
      • Reviews
      • Deals
      • Versus
      • How To
      • Opinion
      • Coupons
      • Samsung
      • Sony
      • Microsoft
      • Apple
Tech Radar Pro Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Best VPN
  • Back to school
  • Best laptop
  • ChatGPT
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • NYT Wordle today
  • Best web hosting
Don't miss these
Android apps
Android 7 must-try Android apps you didn't know you needed until now
Macbook Pro 14-inch
macOS One of my favorite iPhone features arrives on the Mac with Tahoe – and I can’t stop using it
A Spotify widget on a Realme phone
Android These 6 iOS-style features prove that Android isn't stuck in the past
iOS 26 presented at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2025.
Phones 5 smaller but super-helpful iOS 26 tricks you may have missed
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
iPhone 5 smart privacy features on iPhone you need to know about
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge showing the Samsung Edge Panel with black lights and an Android figurine blurred in the background
iOS I hope Apple shamelessly copies these 5 Android features in iOS 19
Three iPhones on a blue background showing iOS 26 features
Phones 5 unsung iOS 26 features that look way more useful than Liquid Glass
Most Wanted iPhone features
iPhone These are the top 5 most exciting iOS 26 features, according to iPhone fans
Collage of iOS 26 features
iOS iOS 26 is official – here are the 5 biggest new features coming to your iPhone
Do Not Disturb setting on an iPhone iPhone
Phones Can't stop scrolling? I've set up three native iOS features on my iPhone to curb my doomscrolling, and two years later my screen time has almost halved
Google Translate
Websites & Apps This is the one travel app I can't afford to forget
Zen mode on a Realme phone
Android I've been using Android phones my whole life and here are 6 features I'm still waiting for
iPad Pro
Software & Services Best productivity app for iPad of 2025
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and iPhone 14 Pro Max
Apple Intelligence I'm a die-hard iPhone fan, but switching to Android has shown me what Apple Intelligence is missing
A phone in front of an Apple logo showing a mocked-up iOS 26 logo
iPhone This is the most exciting rumored iOS 26 feature of WWDC 2025, according to you
  1. Phones
  2. iPhone

10 apps that defined the iPhone

News
By Craig Grannell published 12 September 2017

From Safari to Tinder and all the greats in between

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Your eyes might roll on hearing the tired old phrase ‘there’s an app for that’, but apps on the iPhone have been a revolution. Sure, older phones had their own app stores, but they were fragmented affairs, full of mediocre products that were fiddly to use.

The iPhone’s hardware smarts combined with eager developers and a great SDK resulted in a string of innovative apps that continues to this day. 

As we await the coming of the iPhone X, in this list, we select ten apps we believe defined the iPhone. They may not necessarily be the best apps on the platform – TechRadar has its best free iPhone apps and best iPhone apps lists for that. But each of them was instrumental in making the iPhone a vital device to own, and influencing a slew of other products across the smartphone space.

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Safari (2007)

Safari (2007)

When the iPhone was revealed, Steve Jobs called the web browsing experience on rival devices “the baby internet”. He was right – and it’s easy to forget how awful going online with a phone used to be.

Safari changed everything. There was no WAP. This wasn’t a cut-back internet. It *was* the internet. (Apart from Flash, which Apple decided not to support; Adobe finally threw in the towel earlier this year.)

Moreover, using Safari was fun, the iPhone’s gestural controls providing a fluidity and intimacy simply not possible with a PC and a mouse.

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Facebook (2008)

Facebook (2008)

Prior to the App Store’s arrival, Facebook had already cottoned on to the transformative effect of smartphones, creating a mobile-optimized version of its website. But the Facebook app for iPhone accelerated the migration of social network users from PCs to smartphones.

Keeping in touch, chatting with friends, and scrolling through news made more sense on a device you had on you at all times, and that could be used anywhere. The floodgates duly opened, everyone else swiftly followed suit. 

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
Brushes (2008)

Brushes (2008)

Cell phones had always been utilitarian devices. But the App Store – and Apple’s history at the intersection of technology and the arts – made some developers think differently. With Brushes, Steve Sprang created a fully touch-based painting app optimized for the iPhone’s smallish screen.

Detractors still howled that iPhones were for consumption, not creativity. That argument was put to rest with the June 1, 2009 issue of The New Yorker, painted by Jorge Colombo while he stood outside of Madame Tussaud’s in Time Square.

The original Brushes is sadly long gone, but the app lives on as the free Brushes Redux.

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
Runkeeper (2008)

Runkeeper (2008)

Now one of mobile’s most famous exercise brands, Runkeeper was originally a punt. Everyone knew the App Store was on the way, but the creators of the Runkeeper app took the calculated risk the iPhone 3G would work with GPS – as opposed to using the Wi-Fi triangulation positioning method found in the original iPhone.

The app was a success, enabling people to track runs without the need for bespoke hardware (or so-called shoe hacks). It all just worked, even enabling you to peruse a map of your route when you were done. This might seem obvious in our current era of countless wearables, but in 2008, Runkeeper was a revelation.

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
Ocarina (2008)

Ocarina (2008)

One of the benefits of iPhone, as envisaged by Apple, was that in removing the keyboard, the device ‘became’ the app it was running. Ocarina went all-in on this concept, transforming your iPhone into a high-tech wind instrument played by pressing virtual keys and blowing into the microphone.

Ocarina’s time in the sun was short, but the app showcased the ‘disappearance’ of the device like nothing else had before. And on the trail it blazed, creatively integrating an iPhone’s sensors, flexibility, and handheld nature, many games and apps subsequently followed.

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
Instagram (2010)

Instagram (2010)

Early iPhone cameras weren’t great, but they were popular – the world was coming round to Chase Jarvis’s argument that the “best camera is the one that’s with you”. But something else was also happening at the turn of the decade, with companies recognizing photography becoming a social pursuit.

Instagram was the app that nailed this shift, through a combination of immediacy, filters that made even the most bodged shot look interesting, and sharing capabilities that could potentially make any photo go viral. Ever since, digital photography and social networks have for millions of people been inextricably intertwined.

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Snapchat (2011)

Snapchat (2011)

From the start, Snapchat has been an app you either get or you don’t. It’s messy. It’s not about the edit, instead urging you to share anything and everything that’s going on. Youngsters can use and browse the app at such speed as to dizzy older folk, sending them scurrying back to the warm embrace of fuddy-duddy Facebook.

But that differentiator is key and what makes Snapchat so important. It points to the future, noting everything doesn’t have to be (and in fact *cannot* be) the same. And it promotes fun and immediacy over worrying whether that snap of your lunch is perfectly arranged with the most appropriate filter.

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
GarageBand (2011)

GarageBand (2011)

On desktop, GarageBand was an impressive app – an entry-level music-studio environment that nonetheless contained a surprising amount of power for those who needed it. On iPhone, it showcased an astonishing level of ambition.

In the palm of your hand, GarageBand gave you multitrack recording, ‘smart’ instruments so anyone could make a song, professional-sounding stomp boxes for guitarists, and more synths than you could shake a stick at.

Perhaps more than any other Apple app, GarageBand pushed app creators to think bigger regarding iPhone, and to realize almost any desktop app could be reworked for mobile if done so with the utmost care.

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Google Maps (2012)

Google Maps (2012)

Those involved with the iPhone during its creation say maps were an eleventh-hour addition, involving a ‘hastily’ arranged deal with Google for mapping data. This smart move ensured people with iPhones could find their way around, and began the rapid decline of car sat-navs.

But Apple’s increasingly fractious relationship with Google resulted in the latter’s data being replaced by Apple’s in iOS 6. It didn’t go well, and Tim Cook publicly apologized for the flawed launch. Meanwhile, Google eventually released its own first-party Google Maps app, as part of its ‘platform on a platform’ strategy. To this day, it in key areas betters Apple’s own Maps.

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Tinder (2012)

Tinder (2012)

The genius behind Tinder wasn’t in being a dating app for iPhone – although the platform was part of it. After all, a dating app seems more suited to a small screen that affords you a level of intimacy, rather than the relative acres found on a laptop or desktop. Mostly, though, Tinder‘s smarts were all about design.

Instead of having you scour the minutiae of profiles, Tinder streamlines choosing potential partners to ‘swipe right to like’. This ease of use was key in helping Tinder quickly become the go-to dating app for an entire generation. Well, at least the bit of that generation armed with a smartphone. If you were still sporting an original Nokia 3310, you had to do it the old-fashioned way.

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
Craig Grannell
  • iPhone 8 price, release date, rumors and news
You may like
  • Android apps 7 must-try Android apps you didn't know you needed until now
  • Macbook Pro 14-inch One of my favorite iPhone features arrives on the Mac with Tahoe – and I can’t stop using it
  • A Spotify widget on a Realme phone These 6 iOS-style features prove that Android isn't stuck in the past
See more News about Phones
Read more
Android apps
7 must-try Android apps you didn't know you needed until now
Macbook Pro 14-inch
One of my favorite iPhone features arrives on the Mac with Tahoe – and I can’t stop using it
A Spotify widget on a Realme phone
These 6 iOS-style features prove that Android isn't stuck in the past
iOS 26 presented at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2025.
5 smaller but super-helpful iOS 26 tricks you may have missed
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
5 smart privacy features on iPhone you need to know about
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge showing the Samsung Edge Panel with black lights and an Android figurine blurred in the background
I hope Apple shamelessly copies these 5 Android features in iOS 19
Latest in iPhone
iPhone 16 Pro Desert Titanium in hand
Apple could go all-in on eSIMs with the iPhone 17 – and release a redesigned phone case
Apple iPhone 16 Pro on sky blue background with don't miss text overlay
Last chance: get up to four iPhone 16 Pro for free without trading on Verizon's cheapest unlimited plan
Apple iPhone 16 Review
Have your say: what do you want to see from the iPhone 17?
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
Last call: the iPhone 17 is coming – but this could be your last chance to score an iPhone 16 Pro Max without a trade at Verizon
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
5 ways the iPhone 17 Air could beat the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Apple iPhone 16 Review
4 ways the iPhone 17 can improve on the iPhone 16
Latest in News
Apple CarPlay Ultra ADAS
Don’t have a pile of cash? Don’t worry: you may soon be able to get an affordable car with Apple CarPlay Ultra
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW
Apple just declared three MacBooks are now obsolete – here’s what that means and why you need to upgrade more than ever
IPVanish VPN running on a Macbook Pro
IPVanish lets you bring your browsing to the cloud, directly from its desktop apps
An L-mount alongside the rear of an L-mount lens, with graphic merging the two together
Praise be – Viltrox joins L-mount, bringing its incredible cheap lenses to Leica, Panasonic, Sigma cameras and more
A padlock icon next to a person working on a laptop.
Hackers are using fake Zoom or Microsoft Teams invites to spy on all your workplace activity
Professor Flitwick holds a speaker up to his mouth
HBO’s Harry Potter TV show reveals Warwick Davis return as Professor Flitwick, and I no longer get why we’re bothering
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    Copilot launches on Samsung TVs – but I don’t want to talk to AI to watch Netflix
  2. 2
    'Cronos: The New Dawn is a bit about togetherness and humanity' – Lead Writer Grzegorz Like on the themes underpinning Bloober Team’s latest foray into horror
  3. 3
    Don’t have a pile of cash? Don’t worry: you may soon be able to get an affordable car with Apple CarPlay Ultra
  4. 4
    Considering a camera for your Nintendo Switch 2? You might want to think again
  5. 5
    I reviewed Nanoleaf's first rope light, and there are 4 good reasons to skip it – fortunately, I’ve got the perfect alternative

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...