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Universal Share your favorite niche apps!

Macdude2010

Macdude2010

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Mar 17, 2010
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The Apple Store
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Macdude2010 said:
Hi everyone!

I was browsing around in the App Store recently reminiscing on the early days of the App Store and how much easier it was to discover new apps, even just to try out. I know this might be nostalgia, but would love to hear about anyone’s favorite niche apps that sort of bring back the interest of the App Store in its early days!

I talked more about nostalgia in this thread:
Click to expand...
I don’t have a recommendation, but your linked comment really strikes a chord with me. Always been into computers and tech from a young age and also got an iPod Touch in 2008-ish; didn’t really get into the Apple ecosystem until a couple of years ago as I’ve been using Nexus and Pixel devices for 13yrs and now I’m neck deep in Apple lol.

Completely agree with your point about the innovation stopping and nothing really sparking the same awe it once did. Sad to think about!
 
Macdude2010 said:
I was browsing around in the App Store recently reminiscing on the early days of the App Store and how much easier it was to discover new apps, even just to try out. I know this might be nostalgia, but would love to hear about anyone’s favorite niche apps that sort of bring back the interest of the App Store in its early days!
Click to expand...
I nowadays discover/browse new releases via the AppRaven app which is a must have for every iOS/iPadOS user. It's what the App Store should be. It's not perfect but the collections and new app additions are superb and a great way to discover great indie apps that are e.g. pay once or free (without data tracking, and horrible in-app purchases and ads).

In addition to that app it's hard to not mention any other great app. The below apps I can also really recommend:

Sports:
Running Dashboard - RunMetrics (4.99 dollar, pay once) - if you are into running this app has great stats and PR info in both app and homescreen widgets that Apple Health and Garmin apps are missing. I use it to show my synced Garmin watch runs via Apple Health to this great third party app.
I do want to quickly also mention these other great free, no data tracking running stats/PR apps: Workout Sessions, Workout Distance and for further syncing there are these apps: ConnectStats and RunGap.
TruePace, WaterSpots, FountainFinder

News/Media (YouTube):
Unwatched (free, filter out Shorts as well)
SwizzTube (free 3rd party YT client)
feeeed (great as RSS feed reader with e.g. YT video support)
Heartfeed (great RSS reader, free to try, pay once in-app)
Winston (only available via TestFlight - third party Reddit client)

Music:
Audials Play (Radio stations, free, however tracks data)
Broadcasts (Radio stations, pay once, supports Apple Shortcuts Automation)
iCatcher podcast player (pay once, supports Apple Shortcuts Automation)
CloudBeats Pro (play offline music stored in your personal cloud, supports Apple Shortcuts Automation)
Rewind (go back to music from a certain year or decade)

iOS /iPadOS Games:
AppRaven (app and game reviews, great app discovery with e.g. collections, follow developers)
MiniReview (game reviews)
PPSSPP (PSP emulator)
Delta (emulator of various game consoles)

App/Game launchers:
Launcher widget - easy way to quickly launch apps, call contacts via widget.
Razer Nexus app - game launcher (with option to add almost all your personal games works also with Backbone One controller)
Abxylute Game - game launcher (with option to add also some of your personal games works also with Backbone One controller)
Unleashed (by ELO) - game launcher (with option to add also some of your personal games works also with Backbone One controller), currently only in TestFlight
 
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Maybe not niche but these are my 2024 list of "non-toxic" apps that I recommend and which I find unique enough.

Languages
- Shirabe Jisho a free Japanese dictionary. I have tried most of the available dictionaries, this one is the best IMHO.
- Bootstrap Russian Grammar a one-time purchase to learn Russian grammar. I usually never, ever recommend apps to learn grammar. Actual books are the superior material. But this specific app is really well made. Kudos to the devs.
- LearnRussianCases another one-time purchase (very cheap) to learn Russian grammar. Nothing close to this exists on the store. Clearly, the one dev who made it used it personally.
- Clozemaster a sub multi-language app. Contrary to Duolingo (or any other "AI" generated content), the content comes from user input (Tatoeba) - so it's in general of better quality, although perfect. Now... I hesitated to share this one because the pricing is absolutely insane. However, there is usually a great discount during Black Friday and such. That's how I got it for cheap.

Weather
- Weawow a 95% free weather app with more and better data (at least for me) than the default weather app. In exchange for a cheap one-time purchase, you get an interactive map feature as well.

Manga
- Paperback a free manga reader (but to avoid being banned from the AppStore, the developer requires you to get the manga sources from GitHub. Easy to find with Google)

Games
- Detention a premium indie game with a great and poignant story about a student struggling at school during the dark ages of Taiwan (just like from Orwell's 1984, when reading the wrong books could get you the death penalty).
- Death Come True a premium action-live game with another great story where you have to make choices (not recommended if you can't stand Asian drama acting)
- DungeonSquad a premium reversed tower defense (with borderline pixel art). I found the gameplay really unique and quite complex in reality. It's farming heavy, be aware.
 
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Just had a look through my home screen and I think the only "niche" app that qualifies is "No Meat Today" which is fun way to track when you eat meat or not. Other niche apps are my own :D
 
Whether you're a theist or not Neubible is one of the best designed apps I've ever used. Put together by an ex-Google employee sick of crappy reading experiences in church it makes bookmarking things and tracking down a specific chapter in the biblical anthology quick and easy.
 
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