The global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced 400 crore people throughout the world to stay confined to their homes. The worldwide lockdown forced people to WFH as going out and putting your life in danger is no longer an option anymore.
Though people silently loved the quarantine during its first week, unfortunately now the situation is turning out to be overwhelming and stressful for most of us.
It’s undeniable that people are facing a lot of difficulties and hardships, but there is always something good in every bad situation. Let’s admit that quarantine and self-isolation have also gifted us the time we always wanted for ourselves.
Despite unfortunate circumstances, it is a great opportunity to learn new things, pick up on old hobbies, discover new interests, take care of your health, and spend time with your family. Thanks to technology that there are umpteen mobile apps that can make quarantine bearable for you.
Without much ado, let’s take a look at them:
7 Mobile Apps You Need to Download to Make the Most of Quarantine
1. Nike Training Club (Health & Fitness)
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free, offers in-app purchases
Nowadays, we even don’t need to go to the gym to stay fit, thanks to mobile apps. In the wake of COVID-19, Nike has launched the Nike Training Club (NTC) App to help people reach their fitness goals and stay fit during self-isolation.
NTC comes with smartly designed workouts from world-class trainers, perfect for training at home. It offers 185 free workouts, everything from bodyweight-only to full-equipment workouts for people at all fitness levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced).
2. DialUp (Voice-chat app)
Platforms: Android, iOS
Price: Free
Dialup is an interesting voice-chat app connecting isolated people and allows you to have a surprise conversation with someone else stuck at home. Talk about anything: what you're cooking for dinner, your dreams, or the global economy.
QuarantineChat calls happen over the internet through the app instead of the phone system, so they’re entirely toll-free. All calls are private, secure, and end-to-end encrypted.
3. Duolingo (Learning)
Platforms: Android
Price: Free, also offers a premium service for a fee
Do you always wanted to learn a new language but never had the time to do so? Guess what, Duolingo, a language-learning app is the best way to engage yourself, learn a new language, and feel connected with people from all over the world.
You can learn 30+ languages online with bite-size lessons in a fun way. The lessons adapt to your learning style and the exercises are tailored to help you learn and review vocabulary effectively.
4. Headspace (Meditation)
Platforms: Android, iOS
Price: Free, offers in-app purchases
During such times of uncertainty, panic, and high stress, taking care of your mental health is more important than ever. Using a mindfulness app like Headspace can help you live a healthier, happier, and more well-rested life.
You can explore guided exercises, meditation sessions to beat stress, and anxiety, as staying indoors and listening to negative news all the time can be frustrating. 15-30 minutes of meditation can help you keep your mood upbeat and stay productive at such times.
5. Yummly (Cooking)
Platforms: Android, iOS
Price: Free
With activities outside their homes halted, many people are turning to their kitchens to try their hands at cooking. Google Trends found that interest in recipes reached its peak in the lockdown period.
Yummly is one such app that provides recipe recommendations personalized to the individual's tastes, semantic recipe search, a digital recipe box, shopping list, and one-hour grocery delivery. Maybe it’s time to get your aprons on, cook some lip-smacking food, and post it on your Instagram handle.
6. NetFlix (Video streaming, Entertainment)
Platforms: Android, iOS
Price: Free 1-month trial, various monthly plans available
According to BBC, Netflix has gained 16 million new sign-ups thanks to lockdown. Needless to say, people are using this time to catch up on their favorite movies and binge-watch TV series on Netflix.
Netflix Party, a Chrome extension, allows people to watch Netflix remotely with friends, host long-distance movie nights, and TV watch parties. Meanwhile, Tiger King, a documentary series reached 64 million households during its lockdown premier.
7. Tik Tok (Video sharing, social media)
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free
TikTok is a social media app that allows users to create, promote, and react to short-form music video content. The concept has proved immensely popular as more than 500 million people are using the app to create videos of themselves dancing, acting, and exercising to audio clips and sharing it with their friends.
Recently, Cardi B, Reese Witherspoon, and the World Health Organization have also found a home on the app, too. So join the bandwagon to get entertained in quarantine through Tik Tok.
That’s all for now
How has the coronavirus outbreak disrupted your life? And how are you dealing with it? Which mobile apps are coming to your rescue during self-isolation, tell me in the comments below.
If you’re thinking about making an app of your own, focus on your target audience for your app to give you an advantage. We’ll help you with the rest, get in touch now.
Stay home. Save lives. Help stop coronavirus.
