If the world is going to end, what apps should I have?

Well, the end of the world is nigh, and I think we’ve had a good run, eh? If you’re one of the people out there who thinks that the Mayans predicted the end of the world will come on December 21, 2012, we’ve got the perfect collection of apps for you to track the impending apocalypse. And if you think that all this doomsday talk is just crazy, there’s no harm in checking out some of these apps for a bit of fun, right?

(Our apologies if you don’t have an iPhone, as these are all apps available through Apple’s App Store. Apparently, Android’s growing dominance was one of the signs of the apocalypse we should have seen – although many of these apps are also available in the Google Play store.)

[ Related: Final Countdown: 1 Day Until the Mayan Apocalypse ]

Staying Informed

Knowledge is power! Stay tuned to all the latest news updates with one of the many news apps out there; chances are your favourite news outlet has an app that will deliver you all the updates you want on our impending doom. Personally, I’ll be getting the BBC News app, because if the world is ending, I want to hear about it in that soothing BBC-English accent.

And if you’d like to get all the latest news from multiple sources, try Flipboard, which creates a ‘personal magazine’ out of your Twitter, Facebook and Google+ feeds as well as content from your Google Reader account, letting you see all the relevant information to you in one place.

Weather

You’ll want to know when fire and brimstone start raining down from the skies, right? There are plenty of weather apps out there, including free ones from AccuWeather and The Weather Network. If you’re looking for something with a few more features, check out the highly rated Degrees app, which includes lots of satellite images and historical data for across Canada.

Maps and Navigation

Lucky for you, Google has come out with its new Google Maps for iOS 6 just in time for the end of the world, so no needing to worry you’ll get trapped in the middle of a desert in Australia when the end comes.

Once you’ve gotten your bearings, you’ll probably want to make sure all the people you hold near and dear are ok, too. Use the Find My Friends app to locate fellow iOS users and meet up with them.

Now that you’re all together, figure out what landmarks are nearest to you with AroundMe. Not only will you have a good idea of the best places to create a shelter, but you’ll be able to locate important retailers like grocery stores when you need food (pillaging not recommended).

Survival

For tips on how to provide the basic necessities for you and your loved ones if the apocalypse comes, you can check out this free Survival Guide app, which provides instructions on how to find water, food, shelter and how to keep a level head in the face of the end of the world.

And if that’s not enough for you, go to the survival experts: the SAS Survival Guide will cost you $4.99, but the expertise passed along by a former soldier of Britain’s toughest fighting force is invaluable. Author John “Lofty” Wiseman’s 400 page book provides tips on how to survive in different climates, comprehensive first aid and a survival checklist. There are also photo galleries of edible plants, animal tracks and various kinds of creatures you might want to identify. Best of all, you don’t need an Internet connection to access all the material. Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll have all you need at your fingertips, even if you lose access to the Internet.

If you’re looking for something a little more tailored to our current predicament, check out the Doomsday 2012 Survival Guides app, which includes full version books on a range of important topics, including “Effects of Nuclear War,” “How to Avoid Getting Lost,” “Winter Survival” and “Where There Is No Dentist.”

[ Full Coverage: The End of the World ]

Utilities

Not only is your iPhone a handy reference guide, but it can be used as a very handy multi-tool as well. Start with Flashlight, the app that turns your iPhone’s flash into a flashlight. It also comes with a compass to help you navigate in the dark, too, as well as a built in SOS signal.

Since power will be limited and you’ll be relying on your smartphone so heavily, you’ll also want to preserve that previous battery power. Check out Battery Boost Magic pro: for $0.99, you can extend your battery life so you’ll be able to last longer on that all-important single charge.

Worst Case Scenario: Zombies!

So you’re prepared for surviving in a world without power, can build your own shelter, and know how to make that single can of beans last for an entire month. But what do you do when the dead return to life and try to eat your brains?

Prepare yourself for zombies with the Zombie Survival Handbook Lite, which includes important tips on how to avoid the zombie outbreak, first aid instructions and what you need in a Z-Day survival kit.

Need to know what’s hot in tech? Follow @yrightclick on Twitter!