Never understood why iOS/macOS users install so many Google apps

Google products work on pretty much every platform, whereas with Apple you're out of luck if you use any non-Apple platforms.

36

Apple Music is on Android and Windows.

Apple TV is one a wide range of devices.

AirPlay is on a wide range of TVs, and Roku boxes.

iCloud is on Windows. Files, photos, contacts, etc. They just added Passwords.

So out of luck isn’t exactly true. Unless you are a die hard Pages user or something. And there you have a web app.

5
- Apple Music on Windows sucked hard until a year ago or so.
  
  Apple TV/AirPlay is only on select devices.
  
  iCloud on Windows sucks cock.
  
  Compared to that “lineup,” Google services work outright flawless.
  
  21
- yeah but they don’t have linux versions of any of their software. an increasing number of people are ditching windows because of microsoft’s intensifying enshittification and hackintoshes are dying because of the mac transition to apple silicon
  
  7
- Apple Maps also is available via browser for a few weeks now.
  
  6
- Nice cherry picked examples. iMessage isn't available on other platforms, and it's impossible to join a shared iphotos album from a non apple device. Two features that are arguably the most important for non apple users.
  
  3
- @paraphrand @that_leaflet @apple_enthusiast you can use Apple Music in the browser just so you know.
  
  3

I moved from an android to iPhone, I was still using a lot of Google apps because that is where all my stuff was. I am changing everything over to proton that I can.

14

convenience is my guess, since so many ppl are in the google/gmail ecosystem. it just makes sense for most to be part of the same for communication purposes. i mean, it makes sense, but it sucks.

been slowly helping ppl in my circle of influence, which is mostly comprised of ios/mac users, ween off the google teet & helping them dip their toes in the open source world. it’s an uphill battle, but one i’m willing to fight.

14

Familiarity 🤷🏻‍♂️

4

Google authenticator is garbage. Authy is much better.

7

What is bad about Google Authenticator?

1
apple has a 2FA app built into icloud keychain

9
Authy is garbage too. You're just one small step away from SMS 2FA and your keys are held by Twilio, who has been breached.

Ente Auth is e2e encrypted, zero-knowledge, and cross-platform if you want a secure and convenient authenticator.

5
Can you elaborate? To me, all of the TOTP authentication apps I have used are nearly identical aside from some minor aesthetics.

5
How does Authy compare to 2FAS Auth? I switched to that when I replaced my android with an iPhone.

2
- I switched from Authy to 2FAS. Stick with 2FAS
  
  2
- I used both and prefer 2fas
  
  2

we use google stuff for work, that's the only reason I have them.

as for average people, because they are free and almost no one cares about data monetization.

8

Because until recently (last few years) Apple's online (website based) game for things like iCloud Photos was weak as hell.

5

Often times it’s because other people are using it. Those people can’t use iCloud but I can use Google Docs and stuff. Hell, my MacBook can hang with my phone but my own PC isn’t connected, either. And then after that, are you really gunna expect most people to use and manage two different systems?

I use iCloud for photos, Safari on my phone and laptop because they’re connected easily that way, and have a few important documents on iCloud as well like all my stuff for job applications or sheet music so that I have access if I need that stuff elsewhere. And yet I still have Google drive for some things and use Google Sheets because it’s easy to share.

Not understanding why someone might not go all-in on a specific brand is more of a lack of imagination on your part than some failing on theirs.

5

If the apps work, the platform is irrelevant, my friend. Also, some of is have Apple products at work that we did not choose, so we just go with it.

1

Looks work-related. Your average person isn’t going to install “Authenticator” for fun.

3

I think most people just install the TOTP app that they're told to. They probably don't even know that there's a choice.

4
A lot of non work related accounts are switching to 2FA and Google authentication is the most well known compatible app. Most definitely not the best though.

6
Huh, my authenticator app has 16 accounts in it, all personal stuff. Discord, a video game account, government tax account, etc.

1

Gmail app because it is better with Gmail than mail.app

And google calendar because our house runs on our shared calendars.

But none of the others as Safari is fine for any other web stuff. And in try to avoid other crap as much as possible.

And now that Passwords does MFA there’s no reason for Authenticator

3

you should switch over to icloud mail. it’s way better

-1
- Switching over is a lot easier said than done.
  
  4

I can use Google Maps on my Mac without wanting my OS to be trash. What's your point?

0

Damn bro

3

I have Maps installed but never use it. I have Chat installed for that one weird friend who only has Google Chat because she says all her friends are there.

0

I can elaborate why I have Google Maps installed on an iPhone, despite that I can use Apple Maps, which is pre-installed:

Google Maps is way better in announcing directions when travelling with a car, because it announces several times ahead: at 4 km before an intersection, at 800 m and finally when to actually drive through an intersection. This is more helpful than Apples announcement, which is just once a few kilometers ahead of the point where to change direction. Also, intersections are depicted more clearly in Google Maps.

Additional to that, I find that the woman from Google sounds way more nicer than that bitch from Apple. Apples voice has a pissed-off undertone, probably because it needs to tell you directions in the first place.

On the other hand, the street-view feature is better on Apple Maps.

0

I understand the purpose of the Google app on Android, but what is the purpose to have the effort of installing it in iOS while you have "the power of Google" in safari or whatever browser you use?

0

Yeah that’s what I don’t get. Who are all these people installing the Google app on their iPhones?

0
- The Google app is often used as a web browser by the tech-illiterate.
  
  It even has tabs.
  
  This is how my grandparents use it.
  
  3

People are stupid and stubborn.

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