Time to audit my iPhone apps
Another year has gone and new year has started. Now is the perfect time to review the applications installed on your devices. If you are like me, I tend to collect applications - when there is a new one that I think I might need, boom! I download and play with it. I keep it because maybe some time in the near future, I'd need it. Yeah, I'm an app hoarder like that.
I just ran through the list of applications on my iPhone and managed to delete quite a number of third-party applications, including three (3) applications from Apple - GarageBand, Podcast, iMovie. Here is a rundown of the others that I have culled:
DataJar - a data store for Shortcuts
If you use Shortcuts, DataJar is one heck of an application. You can store any type of data locally (and have it sync via iCloud). At the moment, I have nothing stored on DataJar, so I figured that it is time to go.
Element Messenger - a secure group messenger and video chat
Element Messenger is the primary application for the secure, decentralized communications platform, Matrix <"https://matrix.org">. Unfortunately, this application is rarely used as I do not follow chat rooms that are active. The local Linux community used to have a bridge between Matrix and IRC, but it isn't as active as well (maybe it is the bridge that is the problem).
Matter - a better reading app
A good friend of mine (Hi, Ate Mitch!) introduced me to this GetMatter.com application. I have been using it for quite sometime, along with NetNewsWire, Apple News+ and reFind.com, but since they introduced their subscription plans (and I was reducing my subscriptions), I decided to let go of the service. Don't get me wrong, they still offer a free tier, but I figured that most of the content I read on the application is available on other apps, so I left.
Pixelmator Photo
I am such a huge fan of Pixelmator and when they have released Pixelmator Photo, I immediately downloaded it. Pixelmator Photo is one powerful photo editor, something that is overkill for me. I have yet to master photo editing beyond the usual cropping and color adjustments, so I figured that the built-in editing tools of Apple's Photos application is enough for me.
Pixelmator
The one and only original image application that I fell in love with! Similar to Pixelmator Photo, this is simply overkill for me, at least on the iPhone. I still have them on the iPad and Mac, where it makes more sense considering that I get a bigger screen. So sorry, but I deleted it from the iPhone.
Speedtest by Ookla
I used to be obsessed with the internet speed that I am getting, but these days I simply rely on my Firewalla box to tell me if I am getting my subscribed speed from PLDT. Whilst mobile, I have stopped measuring as well, as I know that I'm bound to be disappointed anyway. LOL. Frankly, I do not remember the last time I launched this app.
Transmit
Transmit is one of those awesome applications developed by Panic.com. Unfortunately, maintaining the iOS version was not sustainable for the company. I have long kept it on my iPhone as it was simply one of the best file transfer tools out there. Now, since it is no longer being updated, it is only a matter of time when the next iOS update might break it. I am seriously sad to let this application go, but that's the way it goes.
Twitter
Ever since Elon Musk took over and fired people at Twitter, I have reduced my participation on it. As I have said before, I am not yet deleting my account as I want to wait and see what happens in the future (though, I must admit that the future looks bleak). I have deleted the main Twitter application, along with other third-party Twitter clients, Twitterrific and TweetBot for Twitter. I cross-post from my Mastodon accounts, but I hardly interact with DMs there (best to find me at <"https://social.lol/@rom">).
I have deleted quite a number of applications from my iPhone, so I have more space for new applications that will come out this 2023 - specially new Mastodon clients that are on beta right now. :) So, maybe it is also time for you to audit your smartphone applications - you might be surprised that there are a number that you rarely use.