The common person easily spends much of his time on his phone, not just checking messages and making calls, but also using apps to play games and receive information. By clicking on the App Store, a person is introduced to millions of downloadable apps that provide adequate service and will download in just seconds. Apps range from free to a mere couple of dollars. Whether it’s photo apps with more effect options more difficult games, there is always something a little extra about the apps that you pay for. Companies have clever ways of making huge profits off of simply designed apps. Some apps cost money to purchase and will often provide well programmed and useful services making them worth the cost. Other apps, however, charge money later on. Apps like the ever popular Candy Crush give players a designated amount of lives, and once those have been used up, the app gives players a choice: a player can wait (the times varies with apps) or purchase more lives, allowing companies to profit off of impatient users.
That is not to say that apps are a bad thing. When no messages or emails are coming in one may have time to kill. Perhaps during a car ride, it can be fun to immerse oneself in one’s favorite apps. Drew Conner ’15 said, “My favorite app is Clash of Clans because I’ve been playing for over a year and it doesn’t get old.” In addition, a new popular game that has hit it big is Trivia Crack which was launched in 2014. Trivia Crack tests the player’s intellectual capabilities in a trivia style game. The player faces off against various opponents to answer questions in six subject areas. Frederikke Johannson ’16 said, “I like Trivia Crack because it’s a competitive game, but can also benefit you.” Another interactive game for the Smartphone is Heads Up. This app, created by Ellen DeGeneres in 2013, allows for players to essentially play charades with their phones.

Some apps are also a way to communicate with people. The app Snapchat with more than 100 million monthly users, allows people to create profiles and “snap” a picture or video of themselves to anyone in their app contact list. On January 27th 2015, Snapchat released an update which allows users to pull out photos, videos and magazine articles from popular networks. There was controversy surrounding the update and many people were also dismayed by the fact that they could no longer view the “best friends list” of their contacts. In response, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel has decided to bring it back.
Another app that allows viewers to communicate to their followers is Vine. Vine launched in 2013, and it took only a day for it to climb to the top of the list of social apps. The videos are around seven seconds long and often feature comedic and relatable segments. While Vine and Snapchat are considered very popular apps, Instagram is more widely used. A spin-off of Facebook, Instagram is an app which allows users to post pictures of their daily activities. Users also have the option to add a location, caption, or filter. Instagram has even become a popular way to keep up with celebrities, as many celebrities have Instagram accounts which are accessible to the public. More apps that might benefit people socially are apps such as Whatsapp and GroupMe. With the use of Wifi, users are able to communicate with friends and family in other countries. The apps are as easy and accessible as texting, but without the exorbitant texting fees. Both apps have proven to be more practical because they allow for a user to communicate with people he or she may not see on a regular basis. Apps in general can provide entertainment, social communications, and health and lifestyle benefits.

Apps are a business that companies thrive from. Apps can be used for multiple purposes such as checking local movie times, monitoring eating habits, and shopping online. Although apps appear to have many practical uses, constant obsession with social media and playing games can disconnect users from the world around them. However, as apps get more and more updated, it is difficult to limit how often individuals use apps.