Whether you just learned how to listen to podcasts on your iPhone or you've listened to all the popular podcasts you could find on your own and need new recommendations, you're sure to love these top podcast picks from the readers and team members of iPhone Life.

You've probably run across the acronym AR or heard friends mention AR gear or games, but what is AR, exactly? Augmented reality (AR) merges computer-generated images with the real world around you. Unlike VR (Virtual Reality), AR games don't require a special headset; you just need your iPhone, a good protective case, and the space to move around. We've covered some of the best AR games available for your iPhone in this article. Read on to you

Whether indoors or out, plants add oxygen to the air and bring a sense of calm to those who look upon them. I’ve always dreamed of an apartment filled from top to bottom with sprawling green plants, but remembering the various watering schedules amid my busy schedule means more plants die on my watch than thrive. No longer! If your thumb ain’t so green, the Happy Plant (Free) app is what you need. The app lets you create a little profile for each of your plants and set a watering schedule. For each plant you add, the app prompts you to take a picture of the plant. And each time you water it, the app asks for another picture. Overtime, all of those photos are strung together for a time-lapse of your plant and its growth. I’ll go over more of what Happy Plant does and why I love it below.

Just as the Mac became the predominant music-crafting tool in the 1980s, the iPad is quickly assuming this role in this decade. The tactile display coupled with powerful hardware make it an ideal surface to construct digital musical landscapes. While eager budding musicians can begin their explorations with Apple's Garage Band, experienced music architects will need a program that allows the full realization of sampling, sequencing, and looping possibilities. This is the space that iOS developer Retronyms hopes to fill with its embodiment of Akai Professional's MPC dedicated music hardware within a software equivalent called iMPC Pro 2 ($24.990. Is the app worth its relatively expensive (in comparison to other tap-centric music construction apps in the App Store) price? Read on to find out.

All of us have had to plow through at least one difficult day of school or work after a less-than-optimal night of sleep, or even an all nighter. But what happens when a rough night becomes the norm? The Centers for Disease Control collects data about the sleep habits of Americans, and reports that one in three of us are getting fewer than the recommended seven hours of sleep per night. Whether you can't fall asleep, can't stay asleep, or both, insomnia is not only miserable, but bad for your health. I'm one of those insomniacs that can't stay asleep; waking up more nights than not after only about four hours of shut-eye, and not being able to drift off again for at least an hour or two. If you're like me, and have spent many wakeful hours wishing you could just relax and sleep, it's time to find some help. While relaxing bedtime routines, meditation for sleep, natural insomnia remedies, calming teas, and even sleeping pills can help, there's one more thing I think you should try: a sleep app for your iPhone! I tried Sleep Genius for two weeks, and am still using it every night. Sleep Genius is a sleep app that combines soothing sleep music, a gentle alarm, a relaxation program for anxiety at any time, and even a power nap feature! Read on to learn more about Sleep Genius, and why I think you should give this sleep app a home on your iPhone.

In the 75th episode of the iPhone Life Podcast, the team shares how to preorder the HomePod, which arrives February 9. Other topics include the latest rumor that Apple will discontinue the iPhone X and a review of Google’s Arts & Culture app. As promised, David and Sarah have shared their best and worst selfie/museum portrait matches. Send yours and we'll add them to the post!