Some apps are built to organize your life, boost your focus, or turn your phone into a productivity powerhouse. Then there are others that exist purely because someone, somewhere, thought it would be funny, oddly satisfying, or just plain beautiful to make them.
You don’t open them to work, plan, or learn. You open them for the same reason people used to stare at lava lamps or spin fidget spinners. That’s because they’re mesmerizing in their own strange way. They serve no grand purpose, but are not boring. And while they’ll never make your phone more useful, they might just make it feel a little more alive.
iBeer
The drink you can’t spill but also can’t taste
iBeer, a “beer simulator” app, turns your phone into a drinking vessel. If you tilt it, you will see beer slosh toward the rim, foam form, and bubbles rise until “you drink” it. Then, with a quick shake, you can “pour” another round or whip up extra bubbles. On iOS alone, iBeer has been downloaded more than 90 million times, complete with an option to “pour” your beer into someone else’s iPhone through Game Center.
Beneath its impressive presentation—its fluid motion, lifelike bubbles, and clever use of the tilt sensor—there is no actual purpose. You gain nothing from it. It is a prank, a visual trick, a toy for adults who still enjoy a touch of silliness. You open it once, tilt, laugh, maybe show a friend, and then forget it until the next slow afternoon.
Download: iBeer for Android | iOS (Free; in-app subscriptions)
Pocket Whip
For the drama queens (and kings)
Pocket Whip turns your phone into an imaginary bullwhip, complete with a crackling sound effect every time you flick your wrist. Inspired by the iconic whip from Indiana Jones, it uses your phone’s motion sensors to detect your swings and plays a realistic whip sound with matching snap timing. The app includes a few customization options, such as different whip types, sound effects, and sensitivity settings, but the core idea stays wonderfully ridiculous. You’re just swinging an invisible whip and loving every second of it.
It’s the kind of app that serves no real purpose other than to make you laugh, and it nails that completely. I managed to keep my wife entertained for a solid ten minutes while running around the house with the “whip” like a fool. And frankly, for something so ridiculous, it’s weirdly well-made. The visuals are polished, the animation is smooth, and the whip looks far too dramatic for what’s basically a joke app.
Download: Pocket Whip for Android | iOS (Free; in-app subscriptions)
Send Me to Heaven (S.M.T.H.)
Because what could go wrong?
Send Me to Heaven, or S.M.T.H., is equal parts ridiculous game and accidental physics lesson. The whole idea is to throw your phone as high as you can and let the app record just how far it flew using the accelerometer (one of the many sensors in your phone). Your score then shows up on a global leaderboard where people compete for bragging rights—and, sometimes, a shattered screen.
The humor is intentional, with the developer plainly warning that the game might damage your phone or void its warranty. But that’s part of the fun. There’s something oddly thrilling about watching your phone arc through the air, praying it lands in one piece, and then proudly checking your “achievement” afterward.
And for a game that basically dares you to destroy your device, it looks quite refined. The interface is crisp, and the animation smooth, lending a touch of grace to what is, at its core, a beautifully reckless act.
Download: Send Me to Heaven (S.M.T.H.) for Android (Free)
InstaDrum
The only drum kit that fits in your pocket (barely)
InstaDrum presents a fully rendered drum kit on your screen, complete with cymbals, toms, pedals, and responsive animations. You can tap along to your favorite songs or play freely to watch the visual feedback of the cymbals shimmer, the snare bounces, and the lighting shifts with every hit. It’s as much a show for your eyes as it is for your ears. But despite its polish, this isn’t close to any of the music apps you’d use to produce a hit song. In my testing, I noticed that it missed some fast taps and hi-hat hits, and there’s no reliable way to record or export polished drum tracks.
InstaDrum also tries to double as a learning tool, with rhythm guides and video lessons designed to teach the basics of drumming. It can be helpful for beginners learning timing or coordination, especially when paired with an electronic drum kit. However, drumming on a touchscreen will never feel like striking real drums. There’s no rebound, no wrist motion, and no sense of weight. It’s more like air-drumming with a really pretty interface than playing an actual instrument.
Download: InstaDrum for Android | iOS (Free; in-app subscriptions)
Lighter Simulator Concert Mode
The hottest app that won’t burn you
This app is delightfully absurd in all the right ways. Your phone turns into a virtual lighter, complete with a flip cap and spark wheel that sometimes refuses to light on the first try (just like the real thing). When it finally catches, the flame reacts to your movements, tilting and flickering as if it has a life of its own. You can even turn on the camera flash to make the illusion more convincing.
True to its name, the “concert mode” keeps the flame burning as you wave your phone in the air. The animation is smooth, the textures are convincing, and the whole thing feels weirdly satisfying to play with. Beyond that, there’s not much else to it.
Download: Lighter Simulator Concert Mode for Android | iOS (Free; in-app subscriptions)
Fluid Simulation
Touch, swirl, stare—repeat endlessly
Fluid Simulation might be the crown jewel of gorgeous impracticality. With your finger, your screen becomes a living canvas of swirling colors that move like smoke, water, and light all at once. Every touch and swipe sends waves of motion across the screen—hypnotic gradients, sweeping color bursts, soft boundaries that flow and merge like ink in water. I’ll say it’s ridiculously satisfying to watch. There’s something a little trippy about it, almost meditative if you stare long enough.
It’s not really a game, though. There are no goals, no scores, nothing to “win.” You just play with it. The free version gives you plenty to enjoy, and there are some nice tweaks you can make to change how it looks or even turn it into live wallpaper (which I’m currently testing to see if I actually stick with it). If you want the full range of presets, there’s a one-time purchase that unlocks everything.
Download: Fluid Simulation for Android | iOS (Free; in-app subscriptions)
Not every app needs a practical purpose
It’s tempting to write off these apps as total nonsense, but there’s something kind of wonderful about them. We live in a world where apps can track your heart rate, handle your finances, and even run your lights, yet the ones that actually make you smile are often the ones that do absolutely nothing practical at all.
