We tend to carry our iPhone around with us at all times, so it’s the perfect device to help us get where we want to go, or find local amenities like pubs or hotels. Your iPhone already comes with a decent built-in Maps app that does a great job of showing you how to get from A to B – but there are other apps that can extend and expand your gadget’s navigational abilities in exciting ways. In this section we’ll introduce you to five essential navigation apps that perform a variety of different functions. One of them even transforms your iPhone into a turn-by-turn navigator at the fraction of the price of a dedicated gadget like a TomTom satnav – just make sure you use it safely in the car. You can also keep tabs on the flight paths of specific planes, or just keep track of the local bus times, or even find hidden caches of goodies that you can hunt down in your area.
5 essential apps
01 Waze social GPS traffic & gas
Price: Free Developer: Waze
An app that relies on the community and its input, Waze helps you and other users outsmart the traffic by giving the heads up when it comes to gridlock, and also pointing out cheap petrol and other incidents on the road. The app pays attention to when you use it, noting your commuting hours and planning your routes accordingly. There’s also audio navigation for safe, hands-free use. Join in and you can earn points and climb the social rankings.
02 Busmapper – Live Bus Stops
Price: Free Developer: Citymapper
Similarly to the Plane Finder app below, this is a transport tracker, though it has to be said a much less glamorous one. Busmapper allows users to track the departures times of buses from stops across London. This app is ideal should you be just visiting the capital and want to know, at a glance, when and where you need to be in order to get around. It’s also handy for the commuter who just wants a few extra minutes in bed.
03 Recce – London
Price: Free Developer: eeGeo
One of two Recce apps currently on the market, Recce uses impressive 3D illustrated apps in order to really show off the city in question. There are tags on notable areas and attractions for users to look into, and you can search the map by category depending on what you’re looking for. Recce looks great and provides you with all the information you need when it comes to planning a trip to a major city.
04 Geocaching
Price: £6.99/$9.99 Developer: Groundspeak
A very different app to your average inclusion in the navigation category. Geocaching is in fact a hobby that involves seeking out hidden caches and finding ‘prizes’ within. The only rule is that you have to replace what you take with something of equal value. There are caches in more than 180 countries.
05 Plane Finder
Price: £2.99/$4.99 Developer: pinkfroot limited
If you have ever been even the smallest part interested in planes and plane spotting then this could be the app for you. Plane Finder allows you to follow, live, the movement of planes across the planet. Tap on any of them to see all the details on the flight, including the airline, plane type – complete with illustration, and more. A must-own for aviation fans.