What are iPhone apps, how do they work and how can they work for us?

In most regards, apps work pretty much like any other program. You can launch them by simply choosing their icon from the list on your phone. Once launched, however, you will begin to see the ways in which iPhone apps separate themselves from many of the programs you may already have on your computer or other smartphone.

Some apps offer the exact functions you would expect and probably already enjoy in other formats. Spreadsheet, typing and email clients are abundant on the iPhone and performance is typically more limited by the size of the screen than by any CPU or RAM limitations. Web surfing and instant messaging can also be handled by the app of your choice and there are many options for both product categories.

Due to the iPhone's microphone, tilt sensors and touch screen, there are many apps that offer experiences that simply cannot be matched by any other device. One particular app, called Ocarina, makes brilliant use of the touch and microphone sensor on the iPhone. An ocarina is a flute like instrument that is played by blowing air and covering sound holes. On the iPhone, the sound holes are mimicked on the touch screen, and the microphone is able to sense air being blown at it. The result is a digital representation of an Ocarina that has seen great success in both sales and critical reception. Further illustrating the abilities of the iPhone, the Ocarina app also offers a feature where players can listen in on gameplay sessions from fellow Ocarina owners around the world. This kind of community experience has really changed people's perceptions of iPhone apps and serves as an example of what the technology is capable of.

Whatever your need may be, there is likely an app that can help you address it. That said, many of the best iPhone apps are merely for entertainment and serve little actual purpose. There exists an app that visually simulates a broken screen on your iPhone. Why anyone would want such an app is questionable, but the value of having the option is very appealing to many iPhone owners. There is also an app that can identify any song playing on the radio simply by holding your iPhone up to a speaker.

If you are so inclined, you could head over to Apple's iPhone app store and, within minutes be: giving yourself a breathalyzer test, waving a virtual lighter in the air, reading an e-book, playing a Sudoku puzzle, enjoying a game of Pac-Man, charting the route for your next car trip, purchasing airplane tickets or even watching your family pet through your home surveillance system.

We see that apps can not only make our lives easier, but can make our iPhone experience much richer and our travel through life all the more interesting. There are many thousands of iPhone apps, and more are being created and released every single day. With the only obvious limitation in these apps being the imaginations of the developers, it will take only time to see how apps will continue to shape our world and enhance our digital lifestyle.