Thanks to how apps can hook into each other with Extensibility in iOS 8, third-party developers are able to rival the systemwide functionality of Apple’s stock apps like never before.
So is the case with Flexibits, maker of the popular calendar app Fantastical. In a big 2.2 update today, Fantastical has not only been optimized for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, but it’s received a number of iOS 8-only features.
“We love the new abilities and functionality iOS 8 provides,” said Flexibits co-founder Michael Simmons. “Fantastical 2 lets users be even more productive with the quick-access Today widget, app extension, and interactive notifications.” The app has also received an enhanced landscape view for the iPhone 6 Plus.
I’ve been beta testing today’s update for a couple of weeks now, and what I’ve most enjoyed is the ability to see upcoming events in my Notification Center. You can switch between a month and a simple list view for the Today widget (the calendar view shows both), and I find the larger month view to be more useful on my iPad Air.
Tapping an event from Fantastical’s Today widget opens it up in the app. My only request is that you be able to quick add events right from the Today widget as well.
I abandoned Apple’s Calendar app years ago for Fantastical and haven’t looked back. It’s awesome to be able to hide the stock Calendar widget and add events to Fantastical from anywhere in iOS 8 via the Share Sheet. Interactive notifications let you turn off event alarms and dismiss alerts without opening the app.
And, of course, Fantastical is still great at natural language parsing for adding events like “record CultCast at 3 tomorrow.” The design is buttery smooth on my iPhone 6, and I highly recommend the app if you’re looking for a simple, yet also feature-rich Calendar alternative.
To celebrate today’s release, Flexibits is discounting Fantastical to $2.99 in the App Store for a limited time. The iPad app is being offered for $7.99 as part of the sale too. The Mac version costs $19.99 in the Mac App Store.
Alex Heath is a journalist who works for Tech Insider. He’s the former co-host of The CultCast. He has been quoted by the likes of the BBC, KRON 4 News, and books like “ICONIC: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation.” He lives in Lexington, Kentucky. If you want to pitch a story, share a tip, or just get in touch, additional contact information is available on his personal site. Follow him on Twitter.
12 responses to “Now Fantastical can truly replace Apple’s Calendar app in iOS 8”
Why would I pay $31 total to replace the free app. I think sometimes you try to outsmart yourselves.
If by “Outsmart” you mean not being stupid enough to use the brain-dead built-in version of Calendar and by “$31” you mean “2.99” to replace the iphone version, then yes, I agree with you. They laid out in a 1000+ words WHY someone could justify spending money on this terrific app. Obviously you prefer the status quo – that’s fine – but this isn’t about outsmarting ourselves – it seems that people who actually use a calendar on a daily basis are just outsmarting you by using a better Calendar (and paying for value).
Seems me to you can’t do math very well.
Nor can you put sentences together – but my point is – I use Google calendar for free, and use the 2.99 app perfectly fine on my iphone and is FAR better than the out of the box crap calendar. There is no need to pay $31 unless you see the value in it having it on your ipad and macbook. Which you don’t. That’s cool with me.
you’re still bad at math.
WTH with these devs charging again for the same app just with bug fixes.. so pissed
Developers gotta eat too.
I hope Tapbots is next. And they should hurry up with the iPad version. ASAP.
But does it sync with your Mac and iPad native calendar app?
What a joke they want 10 bucks for the ipad app. I love the iPhone app but don’t want to pay extra just to use it on my ipad.
You can quick add an event via tapping on and holding a day within the month view of the Today widget
Question: can you invite people to a meeting in the app and see their availability if the exchange server supports that feature?