5 Must-Have Connectivity Apps for Your Device

As the world becomes more interconnected, people are faced with an increasing need and reliance on smart devices to keep up with the rest of the world. This trend is especially highlighted by the boom in tablet and smartphone markets across the world.

In the U.S., for instance, 91% of U.S. adults owned a smartphone by the end of 2024. That’s a long way from the 35% recorded by Pew Research Center in its first smartphone ownership survey in 2011. Earlier studies also show that in 2021, over 64% of American households owned a tablet.

For the vast majority of tablet and smartphone users worldwide, being able to stay connected and reach their family, friends, acquaintances, and business partners within and across borders is of paramount importance.

Unsurprisingly, there are lots of connectivity apps on Apple App Store and Google Play catering to those needs.

Inundated with a load of choices, people often end up with apps that don’t do much to help them optimize their mobile devices for seamless global connection.

Today, we explore the 5 must-have connectivity tools you should have on your mobile or tablet right now.

Calling Tools

Have you ever mumbled or cussed under your breath after calculating your phone bills over time? Do you feel like you have to keep international calls super brief to save airtime?

If you answered yes to both or either of these questions, then that’s a sign that you are yet to perfect the art of maximizing your mobile devices for calls.

As with most popular mobile communication apps, BOSS Revolution allows zero-fee app-to-app voice calls, video calls, and messaging among users anywhere across the globe.

It doesn’t stop there; it goes the extra mile to provide the most affordable international calls to mobiles and landlines worldwide.

Additionally, BOSS Revolution provides international mobile top-up services, allowing you to recharge any mobile number from 270+ carriers in 100+ countries within a few seconds. Most users find this service useful, as it empowers their loved ones across the world to reach out to them with ease whenever the need arises.

To start saving on high-quality international calls, you only need to download the app and create a new account.

Video Conferencing Tools

It may seem as if there are now far too many video conferencing tools, especially since the pandemic.

Don’t let all the noise distract you; Zoom still maintains its status as the all-time favorite for video meetings.

Its very simple interface, loaded with video conferencing essentials, including high-quality audio and video, screen sharing, breakout rooms, automatic transcripts, and recording, makes it the most important app to have for virtual meetings.

Understandably, there are other apps that attempt to equally provide these services, but reliably providing seamless video and audio output for up to 100 participants at a time remains a struggle for most.

And where productivity, clarity, and efficiency matter, you don’t want to take your chances with sudden drops in call quality due to app failure.

To understand Zoom’s reliability, weigh the fact that other video conferencing service providers, including Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, and Slack, allow Zoom integration for meetings.

In other words, keep things simple and reliable with Zoom.

Offline Communication Tools

What happens when you don’t have cellular or internet access? Or when you find yourself in emergency situations with throttled or no network coverage?

Bridgefy is the communication tool you need in such situations.

Described as “messaging without internet,” Bridgefy allows offline communication by keeping users within a 330 feet (100 meters) range connected via Bluetooth.

It also leverages mesh networks to relay messages across users who are further apart. Essentially, the app relays messages from one Bridgefy-connected device to another until it gets to the intended user.

Briar is also a great offline communication tool to consider in this scenario. It is an open-source, privacy-focused messaging app that also offers offline communication via Bluetooth. The only downside is that it is only available for Android tablets and smartphones.

VPN Services

Still on privacy and emergencies, you need a VPN on your mobile devices to ensure you stay connected with your family and friends around the world when internet services are throttled or certain communication and social networking tools are blocked in your geographical region.

Some good VPN services to look at to keep your connectivity active irrespective of geo-restrictions include  NordVPN and Thunder VPN which are available for iOS and Android mobile devices.

If you are keen on secure messaging and unrestricted connectivity, reliable VPN services will keep you one step ahead.

File Storage and Sharing Tools

Cloud storage apps allow you to securely store or share files (large or small) with anyone, anywhere in the world.

Think:

• Apple iCloud is best for mobile devices on the iOS ecosystem, including iPads and iPhones.
• Google Drive for people who rely heavily on Google services.
• Dropbox for generally seamless file sharing and storage across the Android and iOS ecosystems.

File storage and sharing tools enhance your communication with the ability to aggregate and share files in their original forms—no compression—while helping you store large files without burdening your device’s storage system.

More importantly, you get to easily access your files across all your mobile devices, including tablets.

Also consider having offline, cross-platform, file-sharing apps like ShareIt or Xender for easy file-sharing across nearby devices to save your mobile data.

Conclusion

Ticking off this checklist of the 5 must-have connectivity tools is a sure-fire way to ensure that you adequately cover all your connectivity needs for all possible scenarios. Consequently, it fully optimizes and maximizes your device’s potential for seamless connectivity.

The key takeaway?

This article is simply your sign to download essential apps on your tablet and phones and up your communication game!