App Guide

These apps come standard on your TobiPhone.

Phone

Calls only

Messages

iMessage & SMS

FaceTime

Video calls

Camera

Photos

Weather

Clock

Alarms & timers

Utilities

Calculator, Measure, Magnifier

Notes

Calendar

Apple Calendar & Google Calendar

Contacts

Find My

Location sharing

We'll walk you through the tradeoffs before adding these.

Google Maps

Turn-by-turn navigation; location history tied to Google account; ad-driven recommendations

Apple Maps

Turn-by-turn navigation; location history stored in iCloud

Podcasts

Apple Podcasts

Life360

Family location sharing; constant tracking can erode trust and create anxiety

Canvas

School LMS; in-app browser can bypass web filters

Apple Books

E-books and reading; a calmer alternative to screens

Kindle

Amazon e-reader; store access is limited to books only

Audible

Audiobooks; encourages long-form listening over short-form content

Health

Apple Health; fitness tracking can become compulsive for some users

Fitness

Apple Fitness; gamified workout tracking can become compulsive

U4U

Wellness app for teen girls ages 11-18; guided self-care activities plus a moderated peer "squad"

Reminders

Task lists and notifications; useful organizational tool

Wallet

Apple Pay; contactless payments enable easier impulse spending

Spotify

Algorithmic rabbit holes in podcast section; social features allow messaging

Apple Music

Safer alternative to Spotify; no social/messaging features

Amazon Music

Similar to Spotify; podcast section has unfiltered content

WhatsApp

Channels feature is the #1 content leak vector; group invites can expose to strangers

Google Classroom

In-app browser can bypass web filters

Quizlet

Useful study tool; social features and in-app ads can be distracting

Duolingo

Gamification can become compulsive; social features

Strava

Location data shared publicly by default; adjust privacy zones

Venmo

Social feed shows transactions; set to private immediately

Cash App

Can be used for peer-to-peer payments with strangers

Uber

Ride-hailing; location tracking and ability to summon cars without parent awareness

Lyft

Ride-hailing; same considerations as Uber

Waymo

Autonomous ride-hailing; same considerations as Uber

Apple Mail

Email access opens door to spam, phishing, and unsolicited contact

Gmail

Email access plus Google account ecosystem; phishing and spam exposure

Google Docs

Sharing and collaboration features; in-app links can lead off-platform

Google Sheets

Sharing and collaboration features; useful for schoolwork

Google Slides

Sharing and collaboration features; useful for schoolwork

Banking Apps

Financial access for older teens; impulse spending and anxiety from constant checking

These apps conflict with the TobiPhone philosophy that less is more.

App Store

Unrestricted app downloads

Web Browsers

Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc. — open web access bypasses all content controls

YouTube

Algorithm-driven binge-watching; Restricted Mode cannot be reliably enforced

TikTok

Algorithm-driven infinite scroll; highest screen-time risk

Instagram

Social comparison, DMs from strangers, Reels algorithm

Snapchat

Disappearing messages reduce accountability; Snap Map location risks

X / Twitter

Unmoderated content; outrage-driven algorithm

Facebook

Marketplace scams, unmoderated groups, data harvesting

Reddit

Extensive unmoderated NSFW content; anonymous interactions

Discord

Unmoderated servers; DMs from strangers; screen-sharing risks

Telegram

Anonymous channels; encrypted chats reduce oversight

BeReal

Location metadata; normalizes constant photo-sharing

Dating Apps

Age verification easily bypassed; predator risk

Gambling Apps

Addictive by design; financial risk

Threads

Meta social feed; same algorithm concerns as Instagram

Is there an app you need that isn't listed above? Let us know and we'll evaluate it.