Smartphones have become essential tools in our daily lives, but not all pre-installed apps are created equal.
iPhone comes loaded with several apps that, despite their official status, offer minimal value to most users.
While you cannot delete all the system apps, you can avoid opening them as they are hardly useful for most users. Always make sure to close them if at all you open them. An app running in the background would not only utilize resources but will also lead to battery draining faster.
In this guide, we will help you identify the most redundant applications and provide superior alternatives that can enhance your digital experience.
Let’s get started.
1. Compass App
The built-in Compass app represents a prime example of technological redundancy.
While it might seem like a useful tool, most people rarely find themselves in situations requiring a standalone compass.
Modern mapping applications like Google Maps and Apple Maps integrate compass functionality with robust navigation features, providing real-time directional information contextualized within geographic and travel contexts.
These apps offer not just cardinal directions, but also turn-by-turn navigation, location insights, and dynamic routing that make the traditional compass app obsolete.
Also Read: Must-Have iPhone Apps
2. Stocks
Apple’s Stocks app provides a basic, uninspired approach to financial tracking that falls short of modern investors’ needs.
The limited interface and minimal data visualization pale in comparison to comprehensive financial platforms like Yahoo Finance and Robinhood.
These alternative apps offer real-time market data, personalized portfolio tracking, advanced charting tools, breaking financial news, and interactive learning resources that transform stock monitoring from a passive to an engaging experience.
3. Tips
The Tips app represents a well-intentioned but ultimately ineffective approach to user education.
While it aims to introduce iPhone features, its static content quickly becomes outdated and lacks the depth users require.
Online resources like YouTube tutorials and Apple’s official support website provide dynamic, continuously updated guidance with visual demonstrations, troubleshooting walkthroughs, and community-driven insights that far surpass the app’s limited scope.
Also Read: Best ChatGPT Apps For iPhone
4. Podcasts
Apple’s native Podcasts app demonstrates how even first-party applications can feel underwhelming.
With limited discovery features, basic playback controls, and a clunky interface, it pales in comparison to specialized podcast platforms.
Apps like Spotify and Overcast offer sophisticated playlist management, intelligent recommendations, variable playback speeds, advanced audio processing, and seamless cross-device synchronization that transform podcast consumption into a more personalized and enjoyable experience.
5. Watch App
For non-Apple Watch owners, the Watch app is nothing more than digital clutter.
This pre-installed application serves absolutely no purpose beyond taking up valuable home screen real estate.
Its presence is particularly frustrating for users who have no intention of entering Apple’s wearable ecosystem, making it a prime candidate for removal or hiding.
Also Read: Best Apps To Download Free Books For iPhone/iPad
6. Health
While the Health app offers impressive integration for Apple Watch users, it feels disappointingly limited for those without Apple’s fitness ecosystem.
Dedicated fitness tracking applications like MyFitnessPal and Strava provide more comprehensive health monitoring, offering detailed workout tracking, nutrition logging, community challenges, and advanced performance analytics that go far beyond basic step counting and heart rate monitoring.
7. Numbers
Apple’s Numbers spreadsheet application suffers from significant limitations compared to cloud-based alternatives.
Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel offer superior collaborative features, more extensive formatting options, advanced data analysis tools, and seamless cross-platform compatibility.
These platforms enable real-time collaboration, complex calculations, and integration with broader productivity ecosystems that Numbers simply cannot match.
Check Out: Best Tweaked Apps For iPhone
8. Pages
Similar to Numbers, the Pages word processing app feels antiquated in the age of cloud computing.
Google Docs and Microsoft Word provide more robust document creation and editing experiences, with features like real-time collaborative editing, comprehensive formatting tools, seamless cloud storage, and integration with other productivity applications.
The ability to access and modify documents from any device makes these alternatives far more practical.
9. Contacts
Apple’s default Contacts app offers a bare-bones approach to contact management that fails to meet modern communication needs.
Google Contacts and Outlook provide more sophisticated contact organization, featuring advanced tagging, social media integration, automatic deduplication, and synchronization across multiple platforms and devices.
These alternatives transform contact management from a static list to a dynamic, interconnected network.
Check Out: Best Police Scanner Apps For iPhone
10. Voice Memos
The basic Voice Memos app represents a rudimentary approach to audio recording.
Advanced applications like Otter.ai and Rev Voice Recorder elevate the experience by offering automatic transcription, cloud storage, noise reduction, multiple format exports, and even AI-powered summarization.
These tools turn simple voice recordings into actionable, searchable content that can be easily integrated into professional and personal workflows.
Bonus: Optimizing Your iPhone
As stated earlier, you cannot completely remove some pre-installed apps, you can minimize their presence.
Utilize Screen Time settings to limit app visibility, remove them from your home screen, and disable unnecessary notifications.
The goal is to create a personalized, efficient digital environment that truly serves your needs.
Final Recommendation
Regularly audit your smartphone’s app ecosystem.
Technology evolves rapidly, and what seems useful today might become obsolete tomorrow.
Stay informed, be willing to explore alternatives, and curate a digital experience that genuinely enhances your productivity and enjoyment.
Also Read: Best iPhone Camera Tricks You Didn’t Know Existed
Enjoyed the post?
