Smartphones are all in one problem solvers for millions of people around the globe, without them many of us would be incredibly stressed out. Smartphones rely on a catalogue of different mobile applications that leverage your cellular network and GPS in order to help you in your day to day life.
Within that sea of different applications a few select gems exist that standout from the pack. These select apps make it really easy to understand why the days of using a map to drive across the country or needing a dedicated camera to take a photo of your night out are long gone.
Spotify
Everyone loves music, it gets us through the bad times and enhances the good ones. We have been through a 
plethora of mediums for music delivery throughout the years ranging from records to CDs to mp3s, but the future looks like a streaming one.
Spotify makes streaming easy for everyone to get into and also makes the experience interactive by allowing you to follow friends playlists and see what people have been listening to recently.
With Spotify you gain a massive catalogue of music for a mere $9.99, you also have the ability to add your own personal mp3s onto your device via Spotify so you can listen to anything you need in one place.
Google Drive / iCloud
Smartphones make it easier than ever for the average person to collect large amounts of data (photos, videos, recordings, music, and more) throughout a day. With high-resolution photos and videos storage gets eaten up fairly quickly on the typical paltry 16GB smartphones we are all used to seeing. Thankfully services like Google Drive and iCloud help us conserve space by letting us upload our files into an online locker. For a monthly fee, you can increase the amount of storage you have to a whopping two terabytes (2,048 GB) if you wanted/needed too.
Waze
Everyone knows about Google Maps and Apple Maps, but one of the most feature-rich programs for travel guidance happens to be neither one of those two power players. Waze is a lesser known but excellent map service that provides users with more than just simple turn by turn directions. With Waze, the entire user base shares data about traffic jams and police speed traps in order to help facilitate an easier driving experience. In a nutshell, this application helps you navigate around congested traffic as opposed to getting stuck in it.
Mobile Banking Apps
Mobile banking applications are all a little bit different but they share the same DNA, they let you stay in touch with your finances in order to make better financial decisions. Some of the better mobile banking applications allow you to scan checks and deposit them electronically as well as send and receive money. PayPal is a powerful tool for these functions as it allows you to link bank accounts and keep track of everything from one application.
Uber
We all have different reasons to catch a taxi sometimes, some of us go out and have a few drinks and need some assistance, while others just prefer to avoid car payments altogether and rely on taxis entirely. Whatever the reason, new services such as Uber are redefining what a taxi is. With Uber, you can simply hail a taxi from your smart phone and have a driver on his way with an attached ETA so that you know what to expect. Uber allows you to choose what size vehicle you are getting in situations where you might have a large party going out together. Not only does Uber give you all of this control, they also offer pricing that is very competitive with the typical city taxi service. Uber currently has plans to allow Spotify users to control the music during their ride in an Uber, just another feature to add to an already impressive feature set.
Online Faxing Apps
In spite of the march of progress, fax machines still remain present in many offices and an essential part of business. However, online faxing services have met the demand for a way to send faxes without wasting paper or office space on a limited-use device. Even better, many of these service providers have mobile applications that allow you to fax – and thus conduct business – on the road. This option isn’t available with all online fax service providers however, and to select one that works best for you I highly recommend visiting http://findafax.com.
Cashback Apps
Cashback apps are must have for someone who has a smartphone and wants to save money. With apps like Paribus and Earny, everytime you have bought an item, the app will monitor any price drops thereafter. If the price drops, you automatically get your money back and the best part is, it’s free!
Conclusion
Smartphone applications come and go relatively quickly as competition is fierce in the digital market. The applications listed above stand out due to companies that demand to stay ahead of the curve and pay keen attention to consumer demands. Hopefully, a smattering of new applications will come around in 2015 that will make the list.
The writer, Eduardo Dieguez, is a tech enthusiast and writer who makes sure his smartphone is always loaded with the best applications and services available. If you wish to learn more about Eduardo you can visit on Google+.
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