Universal App Types You Should Always Have When You Travel
When it comes to apps, everyone has their favourite go-to's but when you're on the move, you may need to find some local options.
There's nothing worse than arriving at a dream location only to find out that half of the most useful parts of your phone are basically now useless.
Here are some essential functions you should research before you travel.
Entertainment
No matter how you reach your destination, a good journey is often a long one and having some entertainment to hand is always good. In different places, however, your favourite apps may behave a bit differently, like Netflix having a completely different lineup from country to country, or just being missing entirely.
In some cases, it's possible to find options that travel well across borders, having the same key content no matter where you are outside of a few small changes. This is often true with things like casino apps, with some of the largest providers having similar lineups across all regions. The larger apps such as Betway are the best for this, and although some titles may vary slightly, core things like the biggest slots or live table games will show up regardless of where you are.
Transport
Unless you're specifically trying to backpack hike across a country, chances are that you're going to need a way to access local transport. With that said, experienced travellers will tell you that getting to grips with a local system as a foreigner can take about as long as your stay. It's a topic that is always worth devoting some research time to before you go.
Thankfully, a lot of destinations focused around urban areas will have apps that you can download before you go. For example, travellers to Malta can make use of the relatively new Tallinja app which can be used to manage balances on bus cards and also track buses and routes in real time all across the islands. It's completely free, and you also get access to on-demand minibuses through it. Many cities around the world have something similar, so it's worth looking into.
Food
Trying the local cuisine is a must no matter where you go, although most globetrotters agree that having a native with you as a food guide is the only way to get the best experience. With that said, if you happen to be missing a guide like most of us, a guide app for the city is the next best thing, particularly for restaurants and food hotspots like the food trucks available across many countries in Asia and beyond.
If your stay is going to be a longer one, apps can also help out with day-to-day food. Many countries now have delivery apps that cover not only takeout but also grocery shopping and more. Each app will have a set region, such as the Bolt and Deliveroo apps that service much of Europe. App coverage is usually readily available so make sure to read up.
Translation
Short of studying a language at a university before you travel, there aren't any ways to avoid gaps in communication with another language when you're abroad, and you're never guaranteed to find locals with TEFL-level English Luckily, we are now long past the days of pulling out an antique phrasebook and stumbling vaguely through each conversation. Text translation has been around for some time already with things like Google Translate, but now speech is finally an option.
Powered by an AI system, the Instant Voice Translate app is by far the most popular option. It can take voice lines and quickly and accurately translate them to your chosen language, with enough accuracy to, for example, spot Brazilian Portuguese over standard Portuguese, a very fine difference. It isn't quite instant enough to provide unbroken chat but it's far better than saying English very loudly and very slowly.
As with everything else travel-related, prior research is your best friend and you'll always want to make sure any and all apps are going to work correctly when you arrive. As a last note, don't forget your data roaming settings: whether it's just not working or racking up huge charges, there's a lot to be wary of there!