It’s that time of year again. When thinking about gifts this holiday season, you might not have to think too hard about finding a small, but useful gift. Apps have become incredibly popular and for some, apps and gift cards make great small gifts. Here, we will showcase some of the most popular paid apps and instructions on how to gift them to your friends and family.
Sky Guide
If you, or someone you know, ever go star gazing and want to find those patterns and designs in the sky, or find out the name of a star - then Sky Guide is a must have app. Sky Guide allows people to hold their iPhone right up to the sky to learn about the stars they are watching. Read our full Sky Guide review here.
Download here for $0.99 in the App Store!
Faded
Faded is a powerful, easy to use photo editor that is available for iOS devices. There are options to edit your photos manually, changing settings such as exposure, contrast, saturation, etc. You can also choose from 66 free filters or 36 premium filters. Anyone who enjoys beautiful looking photos should check out Faded.
Download here for $0.99 in the App Store!
Monument Valley
The main objective in the game is to get a small, animated princess from a start point to an end point. It’s not always as easy as it seems. There are rotating and sliding objects within each level that must be correctly manipulated in order for paths to connect. It is a game that makes you think. At its core, Monument Valley is a 3D puzzle platforming game. It is also one of the most popular iOS games ever created. Read our full review of Monument Valley here.
Download here for $3.99 in the App Store!
Fantastical 2
Fantastical 2 is the must-have Calendar app for your iPhone. It has many features, but a big one that is incredibly handy is the ability to add events based on short phrases. Simply type “Lunch tomorrow at 3 PM” to create a quick event. This is much simpler than having to enter multiple fields one at a time to add a calendar event. For those who are looking for a more robust application than the default Apple Calendar app, check out Fantastical 2.
Download here for $4.99 in the App Store
Tweetbot 4 for Twitter
Tweetbot 4 is a Twitter client app that offers a great user interface, is easy to use and has excellent synchronization with your iPhone, iPad and Tweetbot for Mac. A handy feature that Tweetbot 4 offers is a low-light mode for reading in darkness. Tweetbot 4 is a must have app for active Twitter users.
Download here for $4.99 in the App Store
Minecraft Pocket Edition
Minecraft has become a well known and fun game for people of all ages to play. Along with being available on Xbox, PC and Mac - Minecraft is available on iOS. The Minecraft Pocket Edition app is a great way to place all the creativity and fun of the Minecraft world directly in your pocket. Read our full review of Minecraft Pocket Edition here.
Download here for $6.99 in the App Store
Airmail
Airmail is ranked on the Top Charts in the Mac App Store and it is no surprise. Airmail is a popular mail client for Mac OS X that offers support for multiple mail servers and features a spectacular user interface. Those who are not fans of the Apple Mail app should check out Airmail.
Download here for $9.99 in the App Store
Publisher Master
Publisher Master, available on the Mac App Store for Macs is a powerful app that allows the creation of posters, flyers, etc. Publisher Master features over 150 templates, over 140 fonts, multiple export options, and many more features. With Publisher Master, you don't need to be a graphic design to create beautiful documents.
Download here for $14.99 in the App Store
How to Gift Apps to Your Friends and Family
Now that you have seen our choice of apps for this holiday season, the question is how do you gift them to someone else? It’s actually quite easy to do.
First, find the app you want to purchase for someone else in the App Store. Then press the Share button - the box with an arrow pointing out of it. This will open the Share menu up with many options. Press the Gift button. After pressing Gift, new options appear with fields such as the receiver’s email address and then your name. Once you fill that out, simply press Next to finalize the transaction.
Don't know of a specific app to gift your loved one? You might want to look into purchasing them an Apple or iTunes gift card. Here is how to easily gift Apple and iTunes Gift Cards.
Apps are a simple, yet small special gift for this holiday season. If you have any questions about the apps or gifting apps, do not hesitate to leave a comment below!