If you could only keep one app on your phone, what would it be? | Hacker News Reader

If you could only keep one app on your phone, what would it be?

5 pointsbrike40 comments

Imagine if you were allowed to use only one single application for your whole life. Who would you pick?

The web browser of course. It can do most anything an app can do including taking photos and recording audio.

I don’t know if there is another correct answer, right?

yeah as long as you have given it sufficient permissions. but actually i dont know if it does count default apps already come with phone, otherwise you'll already get a shiny ooh quality neat-looking (not guaranteed) camera app for better use.

I mean this is like picking “satellite phone” if you could take one thing to a desert island with you. Kind of a boring answer even if it’s technically correct.

Google Maps or OSMAnd, assuming I get phone calls and texts for free.

Banking I can do on a computer, I live in a place with great public transport so losing Uber would not be the end of the world

Safari. Because at least you can access most other services from that. The navigation might be a bit shit, but you’re still connected.

Definitely not safari because its PWA implemention is lame.

cheater....

I mean "Firefox" was my first thought too, I blame the question ;)

Assuming pre-installed stuff is a given (in which case I guess I'm managing with Chrome) then here in Sweden I'd have to go with BankID so I could still do ecommerce stuff.

OP, from your replies here it seems you came into this with your own opinions.

What is the one app you would keep, and why is it ChatGPT?

I’ll try to not be boring here with my answer.

If I could only do one thing with my phone (app-wise) it’d either be music or podcasts. If I had to pick one, I’d go with podcasts.

So I’m going to say my podcast app of choice, OverCast.

Brave. I could access the whole world with it, no ads, AI at my fingertips, maps, banks, crypto wallets, chats, apps, there is absolutely nothing I can't do and if there is, I'd build it.

SMS/Texting. All I use the phone for is voice and text. In fact I miss my old Danger Sidekick II for its nice physical keyboard, tiny phone with a slide-up screen. It was perfect for me.

I'm in a very rural area so the first on any cheapie android phones is a good GPS program - doesn't need mobile network coverage to get position, time and speed of travel.

Notion.

Or the Telephone app that allows me to make phone calls, if we are pedantic.

2 Factor authentication.

I can do everything else on dumb phone + computer + camera, but 2FA is the reason I simply cannot drop the smartphone.

There are feature phones which support applications (not Android-based), but indeed nobody made an OTP authenticator for it.

Instagram because it's by far the app that gets the most use on an hour by hour basis. Endless content plus messaging.

Merlin Bird ID.

I can do everything else at home on my PC.

does it count default basic apps already installed on phones? otherwise it wouldnt even form a thing. well, as most others, a browser.

but i think i am NOT a person for one-app phone. i tend to install a lot and just throw em off the memory lane.

Email client I guess.

Basically the only thing I really miss in the feature phones is email client.

The actual phone call app, of course. It's not really a phone without it.

> If you could only keep one app on your phone, what would it be?

The phone app.

assuming Phone is just a feature not an app, then maps

interesting, I thought people are going to mention Notion, ChatGPT, tasks, but now maps:)

why it's the main app that you need? are you travelling a lot?

> I thought people are going to mention Notion, ChatGPT, tasks ...

I'd bet good money that most people have neither Notion nor ChatGPT apps installed on their phones. How many people do you think don't use Maps or an equivalent whenever they're away from home?

maps are the most useful on phone as you tend to take maps with you.

most other apps are sedentary.

Whatsapp but if I had no family then Safari.

OsmAnd+

1password

Ticktick

Chrome

Weather.

My MFA app

Messages.

safari

why not chatGPT/Claude etc?

i can do that with safari

Banking - no ways I want to waste time at a physical bank.

Sure, I'd miss all the messaging channels, but I could tell people they can only sms me.

> but I could tell people they can only sms me.

Well, you wouldn't be able to keep the messages app would you? So they can't :)

you had to have millions on your bank account if it's the most important app for you:)

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