It essentially adds a secret vault to your phone, which you can hide any number of files in, from images to videos. Access the vault by double tapping the top of the screen and entering a secret code. When combined with the SMS and Call Blocker Plugin, it turns your device into a messaging gadget James Bond would be proud of.
Hide It Pro can be set to keep message conversations private by hiding them in the password-protected vault. Once your selected ‘secret’ contact sends you a SMS, you’ll receive a disguised message masking as another type of alert. After opening the vault by tapping the top of the screen and inputting your code, your message will be waiting and any replies you send are kept confidential.
With no icon in the home drawer at the top of the screen to give the game away, it’s the ultimate private messaging solution.
5. Skype
Free – Get it here
While Skype was a household name long before Microsoft snapped the company up in 2011, the software giant’s involvement has made its mobile app sleeker and even simpler to use.
Filling the Samsung GALAXY S4’s expansive 5-inch Super AMOLED HD display with as many bright colours as you care to film, Skype videos look incredible.
Skype also works across devices, meaning you can call people’s tablets, PCs, Macs or TVs from your device. It supports video and instant messaging, and you can even call other mobiles or landlines around the world from your computer or device by topping up a pre-paid account.
The app also has the funkiest calling tones of any app on our list. Try it out and try to tell us we’re wrong.
6. Viber
Free – Get it here
If instant messaging is WhatsApp’s main strength, Viber is all about delivering reliable, high-quality HD voice calls over the internet – for free.
It even has a conference mode that lets you hold group calls with up to 40 participants, and unlike other cross-platform apps, its clean, Android-like interface has been designed to make it feel like a native app.
Available for Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Phone and others, Viber also allows you to share your location, respond immediately to messages using a quick reply feature, and keep track of missed calls using push notifications.
With no adverts whatsoever despite being completely free, it’s a perfect option for anybody looking to cut down on their mobile call minutes or spend more time catching up with family and friends.
7. KakaoTalk: Free Calls & Text
Free – get it here
Like other messaging apps in our list, KakaoTalk lets you hold free voice and conference calls, send messages, photos and videos. But it’s also much more than that.
It was the first app for smartphones to receive the watertight ISO27001 certification. In simple terms, it means your messages are really secure and are unlikely to be intercepted or seen by anybody else.
Available in 12 languages, it’s also a messenger that runs on a robust network that was used by millions of people in Japan at the time of a particularly nasty Earthquake in 2011. Plus, it features lock-based privacy protection, custom chat backgrounds and ID-based friend finding.
8. Auto SMS (Autoresponder)
Free – Get it here
Smartphones like the Samsung GALAXY S4 undoubtedly make communicating a breeze, but not everybody has the time to sit and write responses to every message that lands in the inbox.
This is where Auto SMS (Autoresponder) comes in. Think of it as an automatic messaging assistant that’s there to reply to messages when you’re unavailable or busy. It allows you to set up multiple profiles that reply to messages you’ve received in certain situations. This could include a driving profile, or one for when you’re at the cinema.
