I am a Generation Z app consumer. Here’s what I like

From the music streaming service I prefer to the social media platform I veer towards, here are the top picks of my go-to apps.

Apps make my life easy, there is no denying that. At 21, I reach for my phone every time I need to get a task done or even if I need something to relax me, lo and behold, ‘there’s an app for that’ (Apple got us figured out right from the start)!

Before going on to the list of apps that I use, and over-use, on a daily basis, let us take a moment to acknowledge the role of apps in every smartphone user’s life. The app revolution that started in 2009 changed the world as we know it, Apps are what makes our smartphones ‘smart’ and, within the last decade, has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry that makes our life easy.

Though there are at least 10 apps for any given task/need today, we all stick to one.

So here is my list of 11 apps that I use daily.

Apple Music

Mornings are boring without music. Whether you opt for some rock music on a Friday morning in preparation for the weekend, or classical music on Sunday to soothe your frayed nerves after a night of partying, Apple Music has everything and it lets you download original tracks without any ads for as low as Rs 120 a month. That’s not much for all the music I get to listen to.

Instagram

Instagram is a great place for me to keep updated on what my friends are up to. Apart from pictures, now with Instagram Stories becoming the new Snapchat, I get to see what they are up to and the places they visit as well. It has become a go-to social media app for many of us.

Mi Fit

So I’m up in the morning, and one of the first things I do is go for a run, Mi Fit app, which is the companion app for the Mi Band, gives me a brief overview of all that I need to know, everything from the number of steps I’ve covered to an analysis of last night’s sleep. The app does the task it sets out to do and is good at it.

Uber

Well, should I explain this? It’s Uber and that’s what I use to get around the city. Most of the time I take an auto and if I have to travel far, Uber Go is the best option. In my experience, Uber rides are often cheap when compared to other options.

YouTube

After getting an Uber, I am faced with 25 minutes of commute time. It is too short a time for a complete episode of Mr Robot, and too long just to listen to music. This gives me the perfect opportunity to catch up on my subscriptions on YouTube, be it a the daily vlog from Casey Neistat or just some cool tech reviews from MKBHD. YouTube is the perfect place to be when you don’t know what you want, and we are all like that every once in awhile, aren’t we?

Swiggy

While I enjoy cooking, I don’t really have the time to every day before I leave for my internship. And Swiggy has made life so easy for people like me. So when hunger calls at noon at office, I go on to Swiggy and choose from the plethora of options depending on my mood that day. Thirty minutes later, and my burger is at my desk.

Google Pay

Ordering stuff online has become a breeze with Google Pay, and since it is connected to my bank account, I don’t have to top-up on a daily basis. The offers and scratch cards on there are the cherry on cake, and the ‘check balance’ is an especially useful feature when I feel like ordering one more pizza.

Grammarly

This is a lifesaver, both in professional and personal matters, particularly while texting in my work group or while writing an important mail to my boss, Grammarly is the one app that ensures I get my spellings right, and avoid embarrassment at work and in life.

Truecaller

Working in media, one thing that you will never run out of are calls from unknown numbers, and I don’t have to tell you how annoying those spam calls can be. By identifying the number flashing on my screen, Truecaller solves this problem, and I can easily block all spam calls (and SMSes).

Splitwise

It’s evening and most of the days I step out with my colleagues to have tea or snacks, and when you’re in a group of 5-6 people Splitwise is the simplest way of keeping a track of who paid for what. Taking trips with friends is so much easier too with Splitwise as it keeps tabs beautifully and tallies up how much you may owe (or be owed) at the end of it.

Amazon Prime Video

After a long and busy day, we all need some ‘me time’, and for me it is the time when I cook my dinner and watch my favourite shows. Amazon Prime Video is a great service with shows and movies for everyone and with a yearly subscription at Rs 999 , for all Prime services (including shipments), as well as the fact that I can download content and watch it later makes it one app that works perfectly well for my lifestyle.