Over the past decade, smartphones have completely revolutionised the way we live our lives. Some of us still remember a time where we would need to leave the house with a myriad of objects and devices that have now all been replaced by our trusty phones. Gone are the days of having to juggle a phone, camera, music player, book, portable games console to be able to access the specific things that each item had to offer.

This ease of access has been highlighted further with smartphones’ lightning fast speeds and instant internet access from practically anywhere, changing the way we work and play. Over time, we’ve seen apps being made to serve all sorts of purposes, from the efficiency of editing your favourite photos to the ridiculousness of calculating what decisions you should be making based on an algorithm. Now that the madness has settled in a number of ways (or has it?), we can really filter out the gimmicks from the useful apps that can actually give us cool, useful functions that can better our lives.

Below, we’ll explore 6 of the best things that your smartphone can do today.

1. Seamless browser accessibility across devices

We’ve all dreamed of a world where our devices work seamlessly together to create a cohesive experience that limits redundancy and boost efficiency. In other words, we want our phone and desktop browsers to have the same bookmarks, tabs and history shared instantly.

Luckily, both Android and iOS systems offer this nifty little feature. Your Safari and Chrome browsers will synchronise through your respective personal accounts to maintain the same data you love to access across all of your devices.

2. Play Games

Some might miss the feeling of playing a great video game on a dedicated handheld device on the go, but let’s face it, carrying around a bulky piece of equipment that’s limited to playing video games was never really that great.

Smartphones have changed the terminology of mobile gaming completely and ushered in a new era of mobile games that take advantage of the devices’ powerful tech and touchscreen capabilities. Arguably, it is also responsible for the ‘micro-transaction’ issue that now plagues the gaming industry, but on the bright side, it brought in a new way to enjoy games on the go with ease and comfort on your very own personal device.

3. Invest in Companies

The stock market has always been quite a scary place for many potential investors. The space is already littered with all sorts of businesses and making any sense of it on your own is no easy feat. To add insult to injury, many stockbrokers out there might not have your best interests at heart, so how are you supposed to make your way into stock investment?

The answer lies with a number of investment apps that give you the reins and offer a variety of opinions from top investors around the world to help you make the right choices. Of course, the whole thing is still liable to quite a lot of risk but it’s still probably the best choice out there for those looking to invest some cash.

4. Fintech Apps

Banking and technology haven’t always had the smoothest of times. For a quite a long time, we able to see the potential that the two industries had in working together, but the technology at hand prohibited that marriage from ever taking flight. Paying by card only to have it show up on your internet banking a week later doesn’t really help if you’re trying to accurately budget and manage your finances.

Luckily, the Fintech world has finally unravelled and with companies like Revolut and Monzo leading the charge, we now have access to app-based banks that offer a truly instant service that will make you forget the qualms of the past in seconds. Splitting money in saving pots, sending instant funds to friends and equally asking for money from them has never been easier and it all happens at lightning fast speeds.

5. Universal Remote App

We all hate managing our remote controller collection. Your tv has one, your sound system, your aircon, tv box, entertainment console, you name it. Keeping all of it together and using the right remote at the right time can become a bit of an issue for many of us but the solution to all of this has changed everything around.

Through Universal Remote apps, you can find practically take charge of any remote-controlled device through your smartphone. Through one simple app on your device, you can manage your entire living room’s ritual of operations, turning on and off with a simple touch on your screen.

6. Measure using your phone

One of the wacky and useful inventions that actually stuck around is the Measuring app. We all know how difficult it can be to accurately measure anything. Measuring tapes can make you go mad, especially if you don’t have anyone to help you out, but modern problems require modern solutions.

Enter Measuring Apps. These crafty inventions will use your phone’s capabilities to easily measure any given parameters without driving you up the wall. They’re quick, easy to use and incredibly accurate, effectively changing the way you measure things forever.

The Smartphone Age

As you have witnessed through our list, there are so many incredible apps out there that aren’t just a gimmick you’ll forget about in a matter of hours, they’re meticulously crafted tools that will make your life easier and will remain with you for years to come. These inventions change the way we literally live our lives, they make things easier and more efficient, so that we can spend more time doing the things we love to do. Although this new smartphone era may have brought a number of issues with it, apps like these prove that there is a silver lining and phones have changed a number of things for the better.