Checkmate! – was $0.99/£0.99, now FREE
Apple has updated its free app of the week and, somewhat unusually, it’s an iMessage app called Checkmate!
The premise here is very simple: this app allows you to play games of chess against your friends, as part of your iMessage chats. It’s trying to bring a social element to an age-old classic, and we reckon it’s the simplest way to have a quick match-up with your pals. There’s no Game Center, no loading up a standalone app, nothing complicated to deal with once you get started.
iMessage apps don’t have their own Home screen icons; instead, they’re accessible only from the “App Drawer” within Messages. To see your installed iMessage apps, press the App Store icon that sits just left of the message box in an individual chat in the Messages app. Some users have been confused by this and left negative reviews, but those who understand how the app works seem to be really enjoying it.
Apple is clearly trying to increase the popularity of iMessage apps, something that many people still are unaware of. So why not oblige them and give Checkmate! a go while it’s free?
Note: prices correct at time of publishing, but this is a promotional offer and will likely revert to its normal price soon. Act fact!