Messages

This is a deliberately plain SMS app, and plainness is a design decision rather than a shortcoming. Text messages work without an internet connection, reach anyone with a phone number and arrive when data does not, and the job of an app is to display them clearly and get out of the way. The interface is clean, threads are easy to read, and nothing important hides behind a menu. Scheduling lets you write a message now and send it later, which suits birthdays, reminders and replies you would rather not deliver at two in the morning. Group messaging keeps multi-person conversations in one thread rather than fragmenting into separate exchanges that each carry half the context. Backup and restore preserves messages through a new phone or a factory reset, and it is worth switching on the day you install rather than the day you need it. The after-call screen is the distinctive touch. When a call ends, it gives you immediate access to your SMS inbox, which fits how phone conversations usually finish: with somebody saying they will text you the address, or with you needing to send something you just discussed. Instead of navigating back to an app, the option is already in front of you.