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A great new game, camera controls and a better budget app [Awesome Apps of the Week]

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Awesome Apps of the Week with iPhone in middle of desk
Whether you're interested in a fun iPhone game, a better way to budget, or want to master your camera controls, this week's Awesome Apps has something for you.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

The last time we published an Awesome Apps of the Week roundup, I asked for you (or your friends) to email me or tweet at me with new apps (or app updates) worth checking out. And, as evidenced here, some of you came through. Also, it seems like there have actually been some cool/interesting new apps coming out lately. Thanks to the combination of those two things, we’re back with a great camera app, a super-fun new game, and an app that’s helping me budget better!

Halide camera app improves iPhone 13 Pro macro shots

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Halide 2.5 update improves images from iPhone 13 Pro macro camera
Take better macro images with the iPhone 13 Pro and a new Halide 2.5 update.
Photo: Lux Optics/Cult of Mac

A just-released update to Halide helps iPhone and iPad owners take better close-up images. The iOS application works with the macro camera in the iPhone 13 Pro series, but also offers tools that can help any phone or tablet user with close-in pictures.

This is in addition to Halide Mark II 2.5’s many other features that give more control over the cameras built into iPhone and iPad than are available in Apple’s own application.

Powerful iOS camera app Halide makes the jump to iPad

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Halide Mark II is available for iPad users too.
Halide for iPad is ready to break the bias against tablet photography.
Photo: Lux

Halide isn’t just for iPhone any more — the alternative camera application gained iPad support on Tuesday. Lux promises its latest release is, “packed with all the powerful features of Halide for iPhone and a few special ones for better photography on big screens.”

Halide Mark II brings pro camera features to the average Joe

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Halide Mark II is for professional photographers and beginners.
Halide Mark II sports a new UI intended to make the camera software easier to use and more powerful.
Photo: Lux Optics

Halide Mark II brings a significant revamp to a popular alternative camera application for the iPhone. The developer redesigned the software to make it even easier to use for beginners. But it also comes with professional-grade features built in, like new tools for working with RAW images.

Adobe’s AI-powered iPhone camera app debuts June 9

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new camera app from Adobe
Raise the cool factor on your iPhone photos with the Adobe Photoshop Camera app.
Photo: Adobe

The wait for Adobe Photoshop Camera is almost over. When it hits the App Store on June 9, the free iPhone application will let users add filters and effects before they even take a picture. And it will employ artificial intelligence to clean up images.

YouTube star’s love of disposable cameras turns into a popular iOS app

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camera app by David Dobrik
Another disposable camera app, but this one has a big name behind it.
ScreenShot: David's Disposable/App Store

More than a dozen apps in the photo category of Apple’s App Store appropriate the shoddy, snapshot esthetics of single-use, or disposable, cameras.

The newest joining this niche category two weeks ago features nothing unique. Yet it quickly surpassed 1 million downloads because the popular internet celebrity behind the app told followers to “check out my new app.”

Firstlight app gives you real-time control over iPhone camera

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screenshots of Filmic Firstlight
Filmic brings live analytics to its new camera app for iPhone.
Screenshot: Filmic/App Store

An app developer putting out a camera and photo editing app today is in for a steep, uphill climb. Dozens of apps populate the category and those at the top are holding that place for a reason.

But the name Filmic should grab the iPhone photographer’s attention. The maker of Filmic Pro, the go-to app for mobile filmmakers, now offers a unique camera experience for stills called Firstlight.

Hyperspektiv 2.0 is the bestest, glitchiest photo filter app ever

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Every single filter on Hyperspektiv is killer.
Every single filter on Hyperspektiv is killer.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Hyperspektiv is one of my favorite photo apps from the past few years. Instead of screwing with your digital photos to make them look like olde timey film photos, it screws with your digital photos to make them look crazy and awesome. It’s a glitch-style filter app, and it pretty much decimates your images, turning them into incredible video clips, and — now — still photos.

Hyperspektiv 2.0 is out, and it cranks up the heat on the image-mangling burner to H-O-T.