What is an app?

• An app is a small piece of software you download to your phone
• It’s download from the app store of the firm that makes your phone’s software
• This is usually either Apple’s App Store or the Google Play Store

Apps are really nothing new, but the incredible explosion in popularity of smartphones has meant they are a crucial way to get the best out of your phone or tablet.

In simple terms, an app is a piece of software you download to your phone. It’s exactly the same as a program you’d download to your laptop or desktop computer – just with a different name

What kind of apps are there?

There are a vast array of apps available, covering everything from games and web browsers to music studios and TV streaming. In general, if there’s something you want to do on your phone, there’s probably an app for that. Don’t believe us? Well, the Apple App Store has 2.2 million apps available for download. There are 2.8 million apps available for download on the Google Play Store.

Are apps safe?

This is a difficult question, and a lot depends on which phone or tablet you have. Apple very tightly controls the apps it allows on its app store, meaning there is minimal risk to downaloding from it.

Google, on the other hand, has far fewer controls, so you need to be very careful when downloading apps. It’s worth looking at the number or times the app has been doanloaded, and the reviews. One common tactic used by scammers is to create a ‘copycat’ app similar to a popular one, but that scams users in some way. A rogue app can allow hackers to access your phone and everything on it (even the camera). Google is improving its policies at a fast rate, but it’s definitely not there yet.

How do I download an app to my iPhone?

Again, this depends on what kind of phone or tablet you have.

If you have an iPhone or iPad, you’ll need to visit the app store. On your device, simply click on the icon that looks like this one:

Once you’re in the app store, you can browse around to find the app you want, or just click on search if you know what you’re looking for. Then, just tap the price or tap Get. You’ll probably be prompted to enter your Apple ID password, then the app will download. To open it, just click on the newly downloaded app.

How do I download an app to my Android phone?

You’ll need to visit Google’s app store, called Google Play.

You can download free and paid apps from Google Play on your Android phone. 

On your phone, got to the Play Store app. On your computer, go to play.google.com