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Google apps VS Apple apps

T

twomack

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 3, 2020
25
34
I'm new here, so if this has already been covered, I apologize.

I am relatively new to the world of Apple when I purchased my first Mac in 2019 with the MBP 16". Followed by an iphone and a M1 MB Air. I love everything about these machines and love the whole Apple ecosystem.

But the one thing I have struggled with are the Apple apps such as Mail, Calendar and Contacts. I've tried and tried to use them, but I always return to the Google versions. To me, the Google versions just have better UIs and are way more customizable.

I was wondering if anyone else had the same feeling or am I missing something?
 
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I'm actually talking about the stand alone apps. I guess in reality, they are web interface, but they open in individual windows looking like a stand alone app.
 
BrianBaughn said:
You're talking about iOS apps then? If so, wrong forum.

The Google iOS apps are fine and users actually get instant email notifications even with a free Gmail account.
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No, I'm also talking about what's on my Macs.

1636549160113.png
 
The Mac apps aren't that stellar in my opinion too. Although I use Thunderbird for all that. Really it's just the Apple mail app I don't care for. I pretty much have to ignore the address book for my preferred email client.

I like iCal enough. I'm not really a power user for a calendar. It serves my limited needs.
 
velocityg4 said:
The Mac apps aren't that stellar in my opinion too. Although I use Thunderbird for all that. Really it's just the Apple mail app I don't care for. I pretty much have to ignore the address book for my preferred email client.

I like iCal enough. I'm not really a power user for a calendar. It serves my limited needs.
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Yes, I'd say the Apple mail app is my least favorite as well. This sounds silly, but the one thing I dislike most about the Apple mail is the lack of checkboxes (that is found in Google mail) next to each email. With the Apple mail app, you have to open the email to delete it. Seems petty, but it's my thread. LOL
 
twomack said:
Yes, I'd say the Apple mail app is my least favorite as well. This sounds silly, but the one thing I dislike most about the Apple mail is the lack of checkboxes (that is found in Google mail) next to each email. With the Apple mail app, you have to open the email to delete it. Seems petty, but it's my thread. LOL
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I can’t say anything specific. Since I only try it out every few years. Mostly it’s the lack of customization. I like to configure the interface to suit my workflow.

Edit: Of course I can’t stand the Gmail web interface for the same reason. Thunderbird is heavily customizable. Although not the easiest to use. But I’ve been using it for over 15 years. The interface has changed very little in that time. Consistency is a plus.
 
Until iOS 15 I've usually used third party apps instead of the built in ones. They reeled me back in with the Weather and Maps changes.
 
twomack said:
Yes, I'd say the Apple mail app is my least favorite as well. This sounds silly, but the one thing I dislike most about the Apple mail is the lack of checkboxes (that is found in Google mail) next to each email. With the Apple mail app, you have to open the email to delete it. Seems petty, but it's my thread. LOL
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You don't have to open a mail message to delete it. Just right click > delete (and works for multiple selections as well) or swipe left and delete. Of course use what you're most comfortable with, but it makes me think maybe there's functionality in the Apple apps you're not aware of or know how to use.
 
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twomack said:
Yes, I'd say the Apple mail app is my least favorite as well. This sounds silly, but the one thing I dislike most about the Apple mail is the lack of checkboxes (that is found in Google mail) next to each email. With the Apple mail app, you have to open the email to delete it. Seems petty, but it's my thread. LOL
Click to expand...
You can right-click without opening.
 
Significant1 said:
You can right-click without opening.
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WildSky said:
You don't have to open a mail message to delete it. Just right click > delete (and works for multiple selections as well) or swipe left and delete. Of course use what you're most comfortable with, but it makes me think maybe there's functionality in the Apple apps you're not aware of or know how to use.
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Yes, I know you can do that and I guess that's a work around, but in Google mail, I can go through and decide which email gets deleted right off the bat by simply clicking the checkbox next to it. Then hit the delete button and they're all gone. Simple.
 
twomack said:
Yes, I know you can do that and I guess that's a work around, but in Google mail, I can go through and decide which email gets deleted right off the bat by simply clicking the checkbox next to it. Then hit the delete button and they're all gone. Simple.
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I'd hardly say that's a workaround. It's as simple as the Google method you describe. Select, select, delete. But there's nothing wrong with preferring Google apps if they work for you.
 
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twomack said:
Yes, I'd say the Apple mail app is my least favorite as well. This sounds silly, but the one thing I dislike most about the Apple mail is the lack of checkboxes (that is found in Google mail) next to each email. With the Apple mail app, you have to open the email to delete it. Seems petty, but it's my thread. LOL
Click to expand...
You can right-click on an email and select delete from the context menu that pops up; you don't have to open the email. Also, you can command-click to select a bunch of emails; I guess checkboxes are a slight bit easier, but that's not a difference I would notice.

I have grown to like Apple Mail. On Windows though, Thunderbird is the only mail program that works for me; it's excellent.
 
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svenmany said:
You can right-click on an email and select delete from the context menu that pops up; you don't have to open the email. Also, you can command-click to select a bunch of emails; I guess checkboxes are a slight bit easier, but that's not a difference I would notice.

I have grown to like Apple Mail. On Windows though, Thunderbird is the only mail program that works for me; it's excellent.
Click to expand...

I see that my reply duplicates a bunch of others. I'd better wake up!
 
twomack said:
Yes, I know you can do that and I guess that's a work around, but in Google mail, I can go through and decide which email gets deleted right off the bat by simply clicking the checkbox next to it. Then hit the delete button and they're all gone. Simple.
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Just hold Command and click messages to select multiple. Then just hit the delete key.
 
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It seems the OP missed some ways to use Apple mail to delete without viewing and selecting multiple emails at the same time. Aside from that, there is just the opinion that Google makes a nicer UI.

I find Google UIs to be quite ugly. I find Apple UIs to be elegant. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, I would appreciate some ability to customize Apple applications, just to get some variety over time.
 
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svenmany said:
It seems the OP missed some ways to use Apple mail to delete without viewing and selecting multiple emails at the same time. Aside from that, there is just the opinion that Google makes a nicer UI.

I find Google UIs to be quite ugly. I find Apple UIs to be elegant. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, I would appreciate some ability to customize Apple applications, just to get some variety over time.
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You are SOO right, beauty IS in the eye of the beholder. And just to be clear, this thread is not all about the mail app and deleting messages. It's just that it would so nice if you could customize the Apple apps more.

And since we're talking about mail, let's look at one more thing you can do in Google mail that has saved me a number of times. In settings, you can make it that when you hit the send button on a message, you have 30 seconds to cancel it if you wish. I don't think there's any reason why Apple can't make their apps more customizable. If Google can do, so can they!
 
twomack said:
You are SOO right, beauty IS in the eye of the beholder. And just to be clear, this thread is not all about the mail app and deleting messages. It's just that it would so nice if you could customize the Apple apps more.

And since we're talking about mail, let's look at one more thing you can do in Google mail that has saved me a number of times. In settings, you can make it that when you hit the send button on a message, you have 30 seconds to cancel it if you wish. I don't think there's any reason why Apple can't make their apps more customizable. If Google can do, so can they!
Click to expand...

Yeah, Apple is slow to introduce such features. It seems they do try to keep things simple.

Software often has basic usage and advanced usage. Advanced usage is usually hidden away a bit. If something might be considered advanced, Apple tends to just omit it. That's just my gut feeling.

If this feature were important to me, then I'd look elsewhere for email. But, it's been so many years (decades) since I accidentally sent an email.
 
twomack said:
I'm new here, so if this has already been covered, I apologize.

I am relatively new to the world of Apple when I purchased my first Mac in 2019 with the MBP 16". Followed by an iphone and a M1 MB Air. I love everything about these machines and love the whole Apple ecosystem.

But the one thing I have struggled with are the Apple apps such as Mail, Calendar and Contacts. I've tried and tried to use them, but I always return to the Google versions. To me, the Google versions just have better UIs and are way more customizable.

I was wondering if anyone else had the same feeling or am I missing something?
Click to expand...
I’d be concerned about the issue of privacy with Google apps. Do you use Chrome, as well as the other apps you mentioned? But maybe this is off-topic.
 
bw44 said:
I’d be concerned about the issue of privacy with Google apps. Do you use Chrome, as well as the other apps you mentioned? But maybe this is off-topic.
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Yes, I do use Chrome, and I sometimes use Safari. But once again, I haven't warmed to the UI in Safari. I know one has to think about the privacy issue with Chrome, but how bad is it? I LOVE Mac OS, WAY better than WIndows IMO. But I do think Apple could do a better job with their apps. And yes, they are trying with each OS update it gets a little better, but I think they have a ways to go. Once again, YMMV.
 
twomack said:
And since we're talking about mail, let's look at one more thing you can do in Google mail that has saved me a number of times. In settings, you can make it that when you hit the send button on a message, you have 30 seconds to cancel it if you wish.
Click to expand...
You can tell if someone has this option "on" when you're on the phone with them and they send you an email…"Got it yet?" "No." "Got it yet?" "No." for 30 seconds.
 
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twomack said:
I know one has to think about the privacy issue with Chrome, but how bad is it?
Click to expand...

I didn't want to raise this aspect which might drive a choice of tools, but since you asked.

I'm always really critical of people making assertions without having facts. So, I'll preface this as it's my gut feeling after taking in news stories, opinion pieces, and technical facts. Any interaction with Google products is very, very, very, very bad. I don't use any of it unless forced to by work. So, no Google search, no Google Gmail, and no other Google goo. Google has transitioned from "<we> Do no evil" to "<we> Turn a blind eye to the evil we're doing".

Google and its cohorts are the tobacco industry of this century. They have no choice but to make money at the customers' extreme expense. I would never use Android or any Google application, unless done completely anonymously.

I certainly respect you coming to a different conclusion. You might decide you are suffering no damage from your interaction with Google, or that the damage is small enough to justify the convenience of their products.

I'm always armed with a particular technical example of the evil, if you'd like me to relay that. But, this is your thread and that seems out of scope.
 
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