From weather watching to calorie burning, here are the top apps you need for your Apple gadget

DID you find a new iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch under the tree? Here are the top apps you need to download today.

FROM exercise lovers strapping on their new Apple Watch to grandmothers who new can use their new iPad to keep in touch with family, for many people Christmas Day meant a shiny new Apple device.

The recent Hitwise consumer insights report found that Apple products made up seven of the top 10 products people were searching for and clicking on in the lead up to Christmas.

But whether you got that iPhone 7 you really wanted or the iPad you’re not quite sure how to use, the first step in getting to know your new gadget is to download apps you will want to use.

Breaking it down, here are five apps you should download whether your Christmas present was the Apple Watch, the iPhone, the iPad or an Apple TV.

There are plenty of options for those who got an Apple Watch.

Apple Watch

Was the Apple Watch the big selling item this Christmas? Apple CEO Tim Cook says it ways, saying it “looks to be one of the most popular holiday gifts” and “sales growth is off the charts”.

The good news for those who got an Apple Watch this Christmas is that a lot of the annoyances about the first generation Apple Watch have been fixed, and apps now don’t take forever to open on your device.

Here are five apps you’ll want to have on your Apple Watch — and our tip is to open the Watch app on your iPhone and put your favourite apps in the Dock so you can open them quickly with one push of the side button.

RunGo / Free

If you’re looking at running as your New Year’s Resolution or just want to discover new routes, this app gives you turn-by-turn navigation on the iPhone with prompts on your watch on which way to go.

Sweat with Kayla / Free with in-app subscription

While you’re thinking about fitness, it’s hard to go past this Aussie-made app with exercise routines by Kayla Itsines. Apple liked it so much it declared it the Watch app of the year.

TripIt / Free

No matter if your holiday plans are a family road trip or you’re jumping on a flight to Europe, this travel itinerary app can be your best friend. Put in your details from flights to hotel addresses and it will help take out some of the pain of travel. Notifications on your wrist can help you make sure you don’t miss your flight.

Pocket Weather Australia / Free

The Bureau of Meteorology at last has a very good app but this remains our favourite weather app for layout and features. You can edit the complications on your Apple Watch face so that you can always see the temperature and forecast at a glance with a tap to delve into the week ahead.

HeartWatch / $4.49

One of the selling points of the Apple Watch is the 25/7 heart rate sensor. This app takes that data and adds a layer of statistical analysis that lets you drill down to what your heart rate is when you’re exercising or just hanging around.

Pocket Weather is still one of the must-have apps, particularly on an Apple Watch.

Apple iPhone

Prisma / Free

The ability to give your photos that painting look isn’t new, but this app takes that concept to a new level. This will transform your social media photo stream with personal works of art. A recent change to the app means you now no longer are limited to just creating square images.

Instagram / Free

Yes, it seems an obvious one but Instagram is one of the most popular apps on the iPhone for a reason. In the past six months, Instagram has become even better with features inspired by Snapchat including the ability to share your story. Snap a photo, add a filter and enjoy the warm glow of likes.

Audible / Free

Audible, now owned by Amazon, has driven the charge in transforming the daggy audio book of the past into a must-have item on the iPhone. Transform your daily commute or exercise workout with a gripping tale. This is the most used app on our iPhone.

Streaks / $5.99

The hard part of making a resolution and sticking to it is making that transition from something you want to do and something you do out of habit. This app rewards you for “streaks” of your habits, no matter if you’re committing to walking the dog everyday, reading a book for 10 minutes or ringing your mother.

Filmborn / Free

There are plenty of great photo editing apps, including Snapseed, Lightroom, Pixelmator and even the editing controls within the native Photos app. This app offers something a little different, with popular film emulations and a powerful but simple photo editing including custom curves adjustment.

The Freeview app needs improving but it should still be on your “must download list”.

Apple iPad

Star Walk 2 / $4.49

Think of it as taking an astronomer with you when you go out for a walk at night. Either point it at the night sky to identify what you’re looking at or turn to the app to find out how the sky will look later that night.

With Star Walk 2 you can point and learn.

Freeview / free

There are still a few annoying quirks with this app that needs improvement, but let’s look at the big picture. This is one app that offers live streaming from 19 free-to-air channels plus catch-up TV. Yes, you probably still want to download the app for each free-to-air channel but start first with this one.

Day One Journal / $7.99

This digital journal has the motto “capture life as you live it”. A great one to download as you’re about to start the new year, this lets you record each day using text, photos and location. It sounds simple but the overwhelmingly positive reviews from users is proof of the power of simplicity.

Procreate / $9.99

The price puts it beyond the typical app purchases and if you have no artistic ability or interest you might want to give this a skip. But assuming you’re willing to invest the money and want to create your own artwork, this award-winning app could let you draw some amazing artworks. It’s wasted on those of us who struggle to draw stick figures, but for anyone who likes to draw its fantastic.

Severed / $5.99

The blurb may not sound like your cup of tea: take control of a one-armed warrior as she wields her sword looking for her family in a nightmare world. But that aside, the artistic graphics are great and those who love it certainly love it a lot, with five-star reviews being the norm. We should also mention it picked up the App Store editor’s award for best iPad game of the year.

Apple TV

Zova / free with in-app purchases

If you just want to download one app on your Apple TV to see the potential of an App Store on the big screen, this is the one. This Australian-made app offers videos of workouts you can do in your own home. Great for those who want to work out more but find gyms intimidating.

Netflix / free with in-app purchases

Yes, when you get your Apple TV you will want to download all of the streaming services to give them a try. With Netflix, aside from the content, the app both looks great on the Apple TV format and works with the native search tool. Just hit the Siri button on your remote and ask for a movie or TV show to see if it’s in the Netflix library.

Riptide GP: Renegade / $4.49

One of the first games on the Apple TV when the fourth-generation device was launched and still one of the best examples of using this tiny box as your games console. Basically, you race a hydrojet — that’s all you need to know.

Alto’s Adventure / $5.99

A case where the beautiful artwork helps to set it above the typical endless runner games. Alto is a snow boarder who travels through landscapes that have a wonderful minimalist design.

Yoga Studio / $5.99

Next to Zova, this is our favourite wellness app on the Apple TV. It has easy to follow simple classes that you can fit into your busy life. Choose classes from 10 to 60 minutes long and customise classes to suit your own needs. It has been called the “perfect yoga app” and we are happy to agree.