I Deleted Every App On My Phone

I and everyone around me knows I have too many apps on my phone. Years of testing apps from various startups and services combined with the never leave an app behind again "iCloud Backup" meant that unless I deleted an app manually, it never went away. Then something happened. Apparently somewhere hidden in my iCloud backup was a glitch according the Genius's at Apple. I was told the only way to not have it affect my phone anymore was to erase my phone and start from scratch. So that is what I did. 

I have been thinking about doing this for years after reading a few blog posts from others before me. I was attracted to how freeing I heard it could be. Also, I clean my home all the time and it felt about time I did the same for my digital world too. 

So currently, I am only re-downloading the apps that matter to me. In the process I will be saying goodbye to several apps. Those of note worthy in both categroies I will mention here. I thought it would be interesting to share which apps are worth keeping in 2016. So without further ado: 

Apps I Am Keeping:

• Dark Sky - Best weather app there is.

• Apple Podcasts - Can't delete but its back on the home screen so Ambition Today is always close!

• Audible - I listen to a lot of books.

• Slack - Immediate access for those close to me and on my teams who know my email inbox can get a bit backed up.

• Todoist - the life saver of to-do list apps.

• Google Maps - Obviously. I tried Apple maps recently in NYC and it took me to the wrong place by about 20 blocks. I was late for that meeting...

• Google Inbox - My lifeline. My go to-email app. If you know a better one you swear by then let me know in the comments.

• Google App - I look up a lot of things. I'm curious, what can I say.

• Google Drive - Are you seeing a theme here?

• Twitter - The best social network there is currently.

• Snapchat - The best up and coming social network. If you need further proof of that, my Mom joined recently. Really loving Snapchat lately.

• Instagram - Just because.

• Nuzzel - I love Nuzzel! It has become the first news app I click each day.

• Yahoo News Digest - When I want to know whats happening in the world outside my immediate industry and networks.

• Fitbit - because health.

• Bitmoji - because fun with friends.

• Giphy - because hilarious with friends.

• Esper - Great platform to track my time and work.

• Robinhood - Why is anyone still paying Scottrade $7 to buy and another $7 to sell?

• Youtube - Loving the content on Youtube recently.

• The Herd Report - You have to have your own app. Plus the Sabres have Eichel now.

• Ward eSports - Best new eSports app for fans there is.

• Timehop - Who doesn't love some personal nostalgia from time to time.

• Buffer - Best app for sharing content across multiple channels. Works with Nuzzel to easily share article I like.

• Venmo - Use it constantly with friends and family.

• Acorns - I didn't want to re-download but it is mobile only so I kind of had to.

• Uber- I live in New York City. Enough said on this one.

Apps I Am Saying Goodbye To:

• Facebook - I turned off badge and push notifications a few weeks ago. Not even going to put it back on my phone this time. I will check in on my laptop when I feel like it.

• Google Chrome - It's just not "that" much better then safari. Don't need it and will give Safari one more chance.

• LinkedIn - Very, very little value comes out of this app that isn't more easily found other places.

• Reddit - Nuzzel has replaced it.

• Periscope - I broadcast from time to time, but I haven't consumed anything of note recently.

• Medium - The best medium posts surface inside Nuzzel. And Medium has been sending way to many push notifications recently anyway.

• Vine - I recently went viral on vine, but still do not think enough people are using it day to day. I never open it.

• Skype - Will probably have to re-download but don't want to.

• Whatsapp - I talk to these friends on iMessage or Facebook Messenger now.

• Facebook Messenger - Will probably have to re-download but don't want to.

• Many, many more - I didn't even re-download any apps from screen 3 or 4 of my phone.

These are the apps I have downloaded while setting my phone back up and the ones that I didn't bring back. I am sure I will have to re-download more apps as I realize I need them and I will do that when the time comes. In the meantime though I feel freed. Most importantly I am excited to see how my phones battery life improves. 

Before and After: Home Screen

Before and After: Screen 2

Uber The Conglomerate

Google Logo 1997

Google Logo 2016

At one point in time Google was called BackRub back when Larry first met Sergey to show him around Stanford. Now it is called Alphabet and just yesterday over took Apple as the world's most valuable company at a $560 billion valuation. Throughout the years we have seen Google refine and even rename it's brand. It has come a long way from the small startup company that only operated a Search Engine using their initial $25 million dollar investment from Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins.  

Brand refinements can allow a company to take on much, much more. The Google of 2016 is a much different company than it's original search engine business. At a even higher level the Alphabet rebrand has solidified the company's new reorganization as an official conglomerate. Alphabet now owns the individual companies of Google, Calico, GV, Google Capital, X, Google Fiber, Nest Labs, and Verily.

I think we just saw the first step in this direction from Uber. Meet Uber the conglomerate. The company has just released a new logo and brand direction. 

"We leave no bit or atom unturned to create industries that serve people"

- Uber

 

Uber Old Logo

Uber's New Bits and Atoms Logo

While Uber is still the same company and no reorganization has been announced the new high level branding of the "bits and atoms" logo from Uber feels very similar to the move Google made with rebranding as Alphabet. Uber no longer just focuses on being everyone's private driver. The new vision of Uber focuses on the much larger goal of combining bits and atoms to create industries that serve people. While the company has yet to IPO, it's $60 Billion dollar valuation certainly shows the company has reached a scale at which it can start exploring other business models. For example, Uber Eats, delivering kittens, and Uber Rush are early looks at some of these potential other business models.

For now this is just a simple rebrand. But as with all rebrands the goal is to change the way in which think about a company. As customers, and employees, become accustomed to the new way of thinking about Uber I am really excited about the potential possibilities the company seems destined to explore. 

Alphabet, meet Uber. Another future conglomerate.

Alphabet Inc.  2016

Uber's New 2016 Logo