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adann91

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 27, 2020
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Curious what people use - I’m currently using the Gmail app on my iPhone. Saw an article recently which seems to suggest the mail app is the safer option to use.

Anyone used both they have a preferred option?
 
I am currently using Mail app for my Gmail account on my personal phone. So far no issues but I have rather basic needs when it comes to my personal email. I have not used Gmail so I cannot compare them.

On my company phone I used to use Mail for an Outlook account but iOS 13 broke completely the Mail app and we migrated to using Outlook. To be honest initially it was weird to me as I had gotten used to the Mail app but we could not wait for Apple to fix their issues. I have to admit that the Outlook has more options and it kind of makes sense for advanced usage. So yeah after a year now I don't want to go back to Mail and I like using Outlook instead.

So my advice is use the Mail app unless it is broken or there is some missing functionality that you need. If there is then move to another app.
 
There are pros and cons to each. Assume you also have icloud and gmail accounts. You could use both or have all accounts in one.
 
if you have a concern for privacy go with a paid email provider & iOS client app. Even than look at the new iOS iStore privacy disclosures. They are telling.
but
apple vs google
totally apples vs oranges
 
I use the Gmail App as I was on Android from 2009-2020 and I just feel more comfortable using it. Having said that I am not using Android and Chrome anymore and over the last year I have been absolutely thrilled with my iPhone SE 2020 and MacBook Pro M1. I do not miss Android phones and I do not know why I was so enamored with my many Chromebooks? I suppose it was my comfort zone? Took me a few months and now I am more than happy in the Apple Ecosystem asides from the Mail app for some reason.
 
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I use a Gmail app and vastly prefer it to Apple Mail. It has more features, swifter and more reliable incoming mail notifications, label management, dark mode, etc. You can also attach any file to your message by now, not just photos. On top of it you get Gmail’s extras, such as scheduling when to send your emails. You could try both side by side and see which one you prefer.
 
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Apple Mail is more secure, in my opinion. It also doesn't have the inherent privacy concerns that Google products do.
Because there's a privacy difference when reading email that goes through GMail with one client or the other, huh? SMH
 
I have my own domain and mail forward (via forwardemail.net as GoDaddy forwarding is not secure) to Gmail, with Gmail “send as“ [my domain] to complete the circuit. I have generated the app PWs needed for Gmail and *most* work ok in apple Mail, but occasionally they refuse to refresh and “stall”. So...while on my iMac I still use the Mail app, I find that the Gmail client is a better overall mobile experience (especially searching).
 
Curious what people use - I’m currently using the Gmail app on my iPhone. Saw an article recently which seems to suggest the mail app is the safer option to use.

I'd be curious to see why they said why. If they're saying avoid Gmail because they don't like Google's privacy policies that's one thing. If they're saying using the mail app to access Gmail is safer than the Gmail app I'd want to see why they claim that.

I have emails that go back to 2004. The Gmail app can find them rapidly with search. For composing mail I use a mixture of Gmail and mail.
 
Trying to stay away from all things Google where there’s a good alternative. Thus no Gmail. I have my own domain hosted and use that in the Mail app.
When it comes to such things as mail, contacts, reminders, notes and calendars, I try to stay away from all things Apple. Google is an alternative that worked on my PowerBook G4 in 2012 when I got my first iPhone.

Funny thing about Google…it's services work on just about any platform and device, including all my old Macs (and PCs). It makes it easy to sync everything up. Google services made it easy to move to Android for a year and then back again.

Apple services didn't (and still don't) work on my PowerBook, which forced me to find workarounds that did work in 2012. And I have stuck with them. Of all the Macs I own only three are young enough to use Apple's services and even then not all of them (because two are running Mojave via a patcher).

Of course that's by design, because Apple want's to sell you a new(er) device, but Google (and other services) allow me to get around that.
 
Apple mail for all personal and business emails and outlook for emails specifically configured / provided by the our clients.
 
When it comes to such things as mail, contacts, reminders, notes and calendars, I try to stay away from all things Apple. Google is an alternative that worked on my PowerBook G4 in 2012 when I got my first iPhone.

Funny thing about Google…it's services work on just about any platform and device, including all my old Macs (and PCs). It makes it easy to sync everything up. Google services made it easy to move to Android for a year and then back again.

Apple services didn't (and still don't) work on my PowerBook, which forced me to find workarounds that did work in 2012. And I have stuck with them. Of all the Macs I own only three are young enough to use Apple's services and even then not all of them (because two are running Mojave via a patcher).

Of course that's by design, because Apple want's to sell you a new(er) device, but Google (and other services) allow me to get around that.

You hit a significant nail right on the head - does that saying work outside GB? Everything Google do they do well, their apps are universal and universally excellent. Just compare Siri (what a pile of....) with Google Assistant, which I still miss after more than a year with iPhone. Or compare maps and street view with the wretched Apple effort. Google Photos, Calendar, Mail, Drive, all absolutely top notch. Because of endemic privacy concerns, and even though I live a very dull life with nothing to keep private, I’ve been trying to keep my devices Google-free. Yet although I’m persisting with Safari and DuckDuckGo, the Gmail app is back on my iPhones and iPads, it’s so good and I just could not move away from my gmail address, too much of the structure of my life is associated.
 
Curious what people use - I’m currently using the Gmail app on my iPhone. Saw an article recently which seems to suggest the mail app is the safer option to use.

Anyone used both they have a preferred option?

If you're using a Gmail account anyway, I don't see how Apple Mail is inherently safer/more private considering all your email is already on Google's servers.

I use both. I have a lot of Gmail labels for organization and I like that I can pin labels/mailboxes in Apple Mail for easy access. If I'm just reading email, the Apple Mail app is my go-to.

For searching, organizing, etc., I use the Gmail app.
 
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