When Apple announced its newest software update iOS 10 back at WWDC 2016, a large part of the focus was on the improvements and additions coming to iMessage. The biggest of those was in-app apps, letting you do a whole host of things as developers desired.
With iOS 10 available for everyone since Tuesday night, you can now try them out. Here are our favourites of the bunch:
Apps
App in the Air
App in the Air has been one of the best apps to keep track of your upcoming flights (amidst other things such as airline rewards and airport lounges) and with iMessage on iOS 10, the developers have added the ability to share your flight details with your contacts.
Useful if you need to pass the info onto your family or the taxi that will be coming to pick you up. The interactive cards display a full flight path, right down to the terminal gate information.
You can get it for free on the App Store, with a one-year service for free for a limited time.
Cipher
Cipher takes a different approach to secured text messages, forcing the owner to authorise using Touch ID before they get access to the message within. That ensures it will only be read by the device owner, so if that gives you more peace of mind, you’re welcome.
The app is free to view messages, but you will need to pay Rs. 120 one time in-app to send digitally-signed messages.
Genius
Genius is one of the best hubs to find song lyrics and annotations, and the iMessage app takes it one step further – you can create custom background cards out of lyrics too. Great for a witty reply or when one that line perfectly expresses your state of mind.
The Genius app costs nothing to use, so there’s that.
IMDb
Sure, a quick Google search can pull out details for every film released and being made, but nothing says it like an interactive card accompanied by a poster. That’s what IMDb’s iMessage app does, letting you search while you’re chatting with someone and send that info across.
Now all we need is BookMyShow to integrate ticket booking into iMessage as well. As always, IMDb is available for free on the App Store.
Private
With Private, you can send text and picture messages to your friends that disappear after a specified amount of time. It’s great for sending passwords or pictures that you don’t want anyone else to see. The receiver can choose to keep the message though before it undergoes self-deletion, so keep your friends close and …you know how it goes.
Private costs Rs. 120 on the App Store.
Stickers Packs
Disney stickers
Disney is a giant in the world of animation, and so it’s only natural that its characters would lend themselves wonderfully to sticker-type caricaturisation. But the company is charging a premium for its iMessage sticker packs, coming in at Rs. 150 each.
So to factor that into your decision, our advice is to choose your favourite Disney property (do ‘eeny, meeny, miny, moe’ if you are having trouble) out of Star Wars, Mickey Mouse, Frozen, Finding Dory, Inside Out, The Lion King, and Princess.
Cookie Monster Stickers
Sesame Street’s cookie-loving muppet Cookie Monster is a cultural icon. With more than 20 stickers depicting the blue furry monster wearing sunglasses, blowing kisses and (of course) munching on cookies, how can you not hit the download button?
Cookie Monster Stickers is free on the iMessage App Store.
Iconfactory Dino Stickers
Just try saying no to the green dino and his two friends, especially when they’re toying with each other or just eating pizza. There is a limited number of options, but they’re all wonderfully crafted.
Iconfactory’s Dino Sticker pack costs Rs. 60 on the App Store.
WWF Origami
The WWF Origami sticker pack combines the best of two worlds – cute animals and the charm of paper folding art. There’s all kinds of options, be it panda, elephant, dolphin and even rhinoceros. It’s an animal party!
What’s more, it’s free. WWF Origami is a standalone app, and only available for iMessage.
Have you been using apps on iMessage? What are your favourite ones? Let us know in the comments below or tweet to us @Gadgets360 with #iMessageApps.
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