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Will you go back to the stock apps?

Abazigal

Abazigal

Contributor
Original poster
Jul 18, 2011
20,931
25,199
Singapore
Currently, I am using quite a number of 3rd party apps in place of the stock apps on my iPhone.

Mailbox over Mail.
Fantastical over Calender.
Evernote over notes.
Clear instead of reminders

In a sense, I wonder what incentive there might be to go back to using the original apps? I know Apple is investing a lot of resources into overhauling their look and possibly UI, but if it doesn't offer more usability, I probably won't go back to it.

What about all of you? Would you be tempted to give the core apps one more try in IOS7?
 
Honestly, I've used all those items you listed. But I am still using stock apps. I agree that those apps are probably way better than the stock apps. But the stock apps have so much integration with the device and Mountain Lion that I always use the stock apps. Although I think I can maybe use evernote over the notes app. Notes app almost seems useless compared to evernote.
 
I prefer the stock apps over 3rd party ones. Just wondering, is the stock apps not enough for your needs?

I like using the stock apps as most of them perform the basic functions (mail, reminders, notes..) and sync over iCloud to all my devices. Maybe its just me, but I don't understand why people prefer apps like Clear or Evernote. Isn't the basic reminders app enough to remind you about stuff, or the stock notes app enough to take down notes?
 
The problem with notes comes when you want to export those notes, or desire more than just a quick sticky to jot things down.

Evernote allows me to craft checklists, and enjoys more formatting options (such as the ability to insert images, tables and bullet points), and categorise notes by notebooks (effectively folders). It is also easy to share those content with other people.

I kinda enjoy Mailbox's swipe to delete/archive/delay/file options. Basically turns my inbox into one giant to-do list. It's still somewhat limited compared to the mail app (no predownloading of mail, ability to save drafts or landscape support), but also way more versatile (and helps that I use only gmail). The drawback here is that I can't use siri to check my mail. :(

I am actually on the fence between mail and mailbox. But given what mailbox has done to my inbox, I am not sure how easy it is to return to mail. :p

Safari's reader function is a dealbreaker for me, hence I stuck with it over chrome.

I felt that Calender took up way too much space on my 4s (leaving too little room for listing the events below). Fantastical wasn't cheap, but I preferred its UI more.

Reminder is cool because of Siri integration and geofencing, but clear's swipe to clear gestures give me a greater sense of satisfaction when I check off a finished task.

Sometimes, I also wonder if it is more of a "I spent all that money, better use the app" mentality. :eek:
 
Abazigal said:
The problem with notes comes when you want to export those notes, or desire more than just a quick sticky to jot things down.

Evernote allows me to craft checklists, and enjoys more formatting options (such as the ability to insert images, tables and bullet points), and categorise notes by notebooks (effectively folders). It is also easy to share those content with other people.

I kinda enjoy Mailbox's swipe to delete/archive/delay/file options. Basically turns my inbox into one giant to-do list. It's still somewhat limited compared to the mail app (no predownloading of mail, ability to save drafts or landscape support), but also way more versatile (and helps that I use only gmail). The drawback here is that I can't use siri to check my mail. :(

I am actually on the fence between mail and mailbox. But given what mailbox has done to my inbox, I am not sure how easy it is to return to mail. :p

Safari's reader function is a dealbreaker for me, hence I stuck with it over chrome.

I felt that Calender took up way too much space on my 4s (leaving too little room for listing the events below). Fantastical wasn't cheap, but I preferred its UI more.

Reminder is cool because of Siri integration and geofencing, but clear's swipe to clear gestures give me a greater sense of satisfaction when I check off a finished task.

Sometimes, I also wonder if it is more of a "I spent all that money, better use the app" mentality. :eek:
Click to expand...

Ah I see, your needs are much greater and heavier than mine, so I can see why the specific 3rd party apps are able to cater to your needs. Most of the time I just do basic stuff, so the stock apps are more than enough for me. Personal preference at the end of the day, I guess. :p

Almost forget to mention, one 3rd party I would prefer over the stock one is Chrome over Safari. Just like using Chrome, don't really know how to explain it. :D But I do go back to Safari sometimes, as Apple doesn't provide us with the option to change the default browser, so when I open web links, I'm forced onto Safari. :(

Tried Mailbox before, the gestures and feel of the app is very modern and nice to use. But then came back to the stock mail app since my email needs are very simple and it fulfills it. Don't want an extra app that performs the same function taking up space on my iPhone.
 
I think it depends how much you depend on certain apps. Take the stock "Weather App" for example, the one powered by Yahoo Weather. It seems quite mediocre and basic to me. Nothing special or stunning about it.

But why the hell do I care? In California, the weather is the FRIKKIN' same all year round. There might be a slight variance in 2 or 3 degrees in temperature from one day to the next. And we don't need some fancy PAID app to warn us about tornadoes and hailstorms in the sunny parts of California.

So paying for a "better" weather app provides no added benefit in my case. Apple's stock weather does the job fine. It's enough to tell me if there might be a slight chance of rain in the coming weekend. That's really all I need to know.

Do you people NOT realize that had Apple's "stock apps" been super-uber-awesome and did everything better than 99% of the 3rd-party apps.... then that would discourage or kill 3rd party app development? Do you people not understand that?

So Apple actually did the right thing. They made sure that their stock apps are not the greatest. Apple allowed room for 3rd party developers to be able to develop and sell better apps than the stock Apple ones.
 
I always think the new fun apps are awesome, and that they are going to serve my needs, and then a few weeks (sometimes just days) later, I am back to the stock app for the simple reason...they work...they sync...and they are always the same.

I do love new, updated, fun apps. So I would be more than excited for some stock app improvements to meet the fun features of some of the more expensive 3rd party apps. I am paying alot of money to own this iPhone...so I think that the apps should be everything I need and more!

Here is to hoping!
 
Abazigal said:
Currently, I am using quite a number of 3rd party apps in place of the stock apps on my iPhone.

Mailbox over Mail.
Fantastical over Calender.
Evernote over notes.
Clear instead of reminders

In a sense, I wonder what incentive there might be to go back to using the original apps? I know Apple is investing a lot of resources into overhauling their look and possibly UI, but if it doesn't offer more usability, I probably won't go back to it.

What about all of you? Would you be tempted to give the core apps one more try in IOS7?
Click to expand...

I do mostly use stock apps at the moment - mostly for their simplicity and sync with OSX companions.

I tried Mailbox, but I didn't like it. Apple could modernise Mail.app a bit, but it's still the best mail client IMO.

I use Notes.app for its simplicity, and my reminders are also in Notes (why did Apple even make a reminders app? Is there really that much difference between a reminder and a note?)

Calendar is probably the weakest stock app, but it's still good enough that I haven't been tempted to change.
 
Considering that apple doesn't allow us to choose our default apps, and for all the money we are paying for our iPhones, I do feel that apple at least owes it to us to ensure their apps and services meet some minimum degree of quality.

Just my 2 cents.
 
Considering that the stock Mail app has never worked for my GMail account on any iPhone I've owned, I don't really have a choice there do I?

I don't use the stock "Stocks" app either, it's hidden in a folder of useless (for me) apps on my last screen.
 
ijohn.8.80 said:
Considering that the stock Mail app has never worked for my GMail account on any iPhone I've owned, I don't really have a choice there do I?
Click to expand...

Has it not?!! I have allways used (and still using) gmail on my stock Mail app.
 

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ijohn.8.80 said:
Considering that the stock Mail app has never worked for my GMail account on any iPhone I've owned, I don't really have a choice there do I?

I don't use the stock "Stocks" app either, it's hidden in a folder of useless (for me) apps on my last screen.
Click to expand...

Still using my Gmail with stock mail app on my 3GS. Works fine, even has push notifications! :D
 
ijohn.8.80 said:
For some reason of which I've never been able to solve, my GMail account will not play friendly with any of my Apple devices! That's my iPhones, my MBP and my iMacs.
Click to expand...


It is true and I think you got to fiddle with it a bit. Your problem could be the Application-specific passwords that google generates for your devices. You can create one from your google account (account/security/Connected applications and sites/Application-specific passwords)and first time you add an emai account to your iOS device or Mac use that Application-specific passwords on the password filed and if you ever log out and want to log back on again then you use your own Google password.
 
Not to mention that since google had disabled push for gmail, that's one less incentive to use the mail app should I upgrade my iphone this year.

iCloud email...what does it offer over gmail again?
 
BvizioN said:
I have read about that, I still get G-emails pushed on my mail app though!! Not sure how that have effected me! Don't see any changes.
Click to expand...

It only affects account made in devices purchased after 2013. So no effect in phones bought last year, no such luck for iPhones purchased this year. :(

Unless you intend to hang onto the same iPhone for the rest of your life, the problem will affect you sooner or later.
 
BvizioN said:
It is true and I think you got to fiddle with it a bit. Your problem could be the Application-specific passwords that google generates for your devices. You can create one from your google account (account/security/Connected applications and sites/Application-specific passwords)and first time you add an emai account to your iOS device or Mac use that Application-specific passwords on the password filed and if you ever log out and want to log back on again then you use your own Google password.
Click to expand...

Thanks a million for the tips above, I will try it tomorrow. I did open another GMail account this evening and it works perfectly with both of the stock mail programs! iOS & OSX that is. I wonder if it's anything to do with how long ago the account was established, mine was from when GMail was new and by invite only.

Looks like I'll be going back to stock apps for Mail. :D
 
Abazigal said:
Currently, I am using quite a number of 3rd party apps in place of the stock apps on my iPhone.

Mailbox over Mail.
Fantastical over Calender.
Evernote over notes.
Clear instead of reminders
Click to expand...

For these apps I never the stock ones. But for things like weather and stocks I never use the built ins and would rather see them removed.
 
Tried fantastical on the Mac, and liked it, but not enough to ditch the stock calendar app. Currently using mailbox because Google killed push notifications by disabling exchange support. So now I'm just mad because I miss the stock Mail app.
 
I don't think the stock apps are meant to compete with third party apps. I think Apple means for them to provide basic, very easy to use functionality and if someone wants or needs more they can "upgrade" to a third party app.
 
Demoted Reminders since i got OmniFocus and this week ditched Mail since i got a new iPhone 4 from repair and my Gmail Exchange stopped working for push support. Tried gmail but i didn't get used to it so i'm using mailbox.

maybe apple will get an arrangement with google because forcing to use gmail app if we need instant push is hideous.
 
skitch444 said:
Demoted Reminders since i got OmniFocus and this week ditched Mail since i got a new iPhone 4 from repair and my Gmail Exchange stopped working for push support. Tried gmail but i didn't get used to it so i'm using mailbox.

maybe apple will get an arrangement with google because forcing to use gmail app if we need instant push is hideous.
Click to expand...

Google are moving away from open standards. In the same way that they stopped using the iCal standard in favour of their own 'Google Calendar' API, they'd love to eventually force using some kind of 'Gmail API'.
 
Evernote is too complicated for a notes app. I use it differently than I use the default Notes app. The Notes app is still the best for quickly jotting something down.
 
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