Skip to Content

Five iOS Apps Worth Checking Out - February 2018

by

Over on our YouTube channel, we're continuing on with our new monthly series that highlights new, interesting, and useful apps that we think are worth checking out.

Because there are so many apps available on the iOS App Store, it can be hard to find new content, and it's also easy to overlook great older apps. Our app lists are designed to include apps -- both new and old -- that we personally recommend and have used over the course of the month.

  • Hooked (Free) - Hooked is actually a book app that offers up short stories in a unique format -- chat messages. Hooked stories are all presented as text message conversations, so it's a little bit like you're reading someone else's chat history. With Hooked, you can read little bits at a time in moments when you have a free minute or two, and the stories are always engaging. Hooked is free to download with a free trial period, but unlimited access costs $14.99 per month.
  • App in the Air (Free) - Whether you're a frequent or infrequent traveler, App in the Air is a useful app that serves up details like real time flight status, airport maps, security wait times, walk time to your gate, airline point tracking, and more. It works with more than 1,000 airlines around the world, and key information like gate changes and updates to flight status are delivered via SMS. The app is free, but there are premium features like real-time flight status updates that require a subscription, which is priced at $34.99 per year.
  • Timepage (Free) - Timepage is a calendar app from Moleskine, the company that makes those handy notebooks. Timepage combines data like events, maps, contacts, weather and more into a simple interface that's easy to parse at a glance. There are monthly, weekly, and daily views, along with a heat map that lets you know when you're busiest. Timepage is a free download, but only on a trial basis. A monthly subscription is priced at $1.99, or you can pay $11.99 for the year.
  • Confide (Free) - Confide is a private and secure messaging app that's a great way to communicate with people when you want to keep your messages entirely private. Messages sent through Confide use end-to-end encryption and disappear after a set period of time, plus there's screenshot protection so no one can snap an image of what you've written. Confide is a free download, but access to features like unlimited attachments and themes requires Confide Plus, priced at $29.99 for three months or $59.99 for a year.
  • Alto's Odyssey ($4.99) - Alto's Odyssey is the highly-anticipated sequel to popular 2015 game Alto's Adventure. Like the original, Alto's Odyssey is an endless runner with gorgeous graphics, but this time it takes place in the sand instead of the snow.

If you're looking for great Mac apps that are worth downloading, make sure to check out our February list of essential apps for the Mac. And if you have favorite iOS apps, make sure to share them with us -- we'll be highlighting interesting, useful iOS apps on a monthly basis.

Top Rated Comments

Mefisto Avatar
105 months ago
I can’t believe how many developers want money for subscriptions. I guess that model is here to stay.
I'm really not fond of the direction this is going. Then again perhaps I'm just a dinosaur who needs to get with the times and stop moaning.

I get the subscription model with services like AM/Spotify, Netflix etc., and maybe apps count as comparable services nowadays, but I'd still much rather pay a one time fee. Maybe even paid updates, but the whole subscription model in this case bothers me.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tennisproha Avatar
105 months ago
Heads up, none of the FREE apps are free at all.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
105 months ago
Confide: $60/year subscription for a messaging app from an unknown company that says "trust us". Yeah right. Prevents screenshots? Big freaking deal. Just take a picture of the screen w another phone.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
illmatic41 Avatar
105 months ago
The only app on that list worth getting is Alto’s Odyssey. It’s actually the total opposite of the rest of that list as it’s a one time purchase and there are no IAP whatsoever now or later.

Here’s an interview with the developers of the game and they address the whole IAP on Android vs the one time pay on iOS in the first game.
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/02/the-creators-of-altos-odyssey-on-how-to-make-a-mobile-game-thats-actually-good/
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
105 months ago
I can’t believe how many developers want money for subscriptions. I guess that model is here to stay.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
105 months ago
I don't mind paying a subscription for a quality app that is kept up to date, and one where I can get good developer response.

Confide is not one I would pay that price.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Multicolored Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature

Apple Accidentally Leaks 'MacBook Neo'

Tuesday March 3, 2026 7:00 am PST by
Apple appears to have prematurely revealed the name of its rumored lower-cost MacBook model, which is expected to be announced this Wednesday. A regulatory document for a "MacBook Neo" (Model A3404) has appeared on Apple's website. Unfortunately, there are no further details or images available yet. While the PDF file does not contain the "MacBook Neo" name, it briefly appeared in a link...
imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils Two New Products

Monday March 2, 2026 7:49 am PST by
Apple today introduced two new devices, including the iPhone 17e and an updated iPad Air. iPhone 17e features the same overall design as the iPhone 16e, but it gains Apple's A19 chip, MagSafe for magnetic wireless charging and magnetic accessories, Apple's second-generation C1X modem for faster 5G, and a doubled 256GB of base storage. In the U.S., the iPhone 17e starts at $599, just like the ...
Apple iPhone 17e feature

Apple Announces iPhone 17e With A19 Chip, MagSafe, and More

Monday March 2, 2026 6:07 am PST by
Apple today announced the iPhone 17e, featuring the A19 chip, MagSafe connectivity, faster charging, and more. The iPhone 17e contains the A19 chip introduced in iPhone 17. It features a 6-core GPU and a 4-core GPU. Apple pointed out that this makes it up to 2x faster than the iPhone 11. The new 16-core Neural Engine is optimized for large generative models. The iPhone 17e also contains...