iPhone X iPhone XS/Apple Watch 4: Should I Go Full Apple Apps?

[MichaelMidnight]

Now that iOS 12, WatchOS 5, the iPhone XS, and the Apple Watch 4 are all out, I'm wondering if I should go all in with Apple Apps. I also use AirPods and now I'm wondering if I should dump Spotify for Apple Music. The same with Google Maps with Maps. I use to be a hybrid of Google Apps on Apple hardware, and I do know that I could still do that but everything (for the most part) works swimmingly well when I go all Apple.

So on the eve of the new Apple hardware and OSs, should I go full Apple?

 

[212rikanmofo]

Yes, most definitely. That's the great thing about the Apple ecosystem. Things just work so much better and more seamlessly. I got rid of Google a long time ago. Since they are well known to sell your info to 3rd parties. That's a big no no. If you value your privacy, I would definitely slowly move away from Google and anything closely related to them.

 

[DNichter]

I personally think so. Everything you mention has been great for me and works seamlessly across all devices. It's just a better experience.

 

[SisterBlue22]

Mapple was horrific when it was first released years back, but lately it's been much better. I also love Apple Music. I say go for it.

 

[theshoehorn]

Music: definitely. Maps: not in my opinion. I've navigated with it for the last year in CarPlay and it likes to choose routes that are a couple minutes longer in my experience...

 

[ericg301]

the beauty of the app store is that you can mix and match, based on your needs. i still use google for email, calendar, contacts and maps (both waze and google maps), but apple music and apple notes.

we are long past the days of "3rd party apps can't not replicate functionality of built-in apps" (see Google Voice), so why not take advantage of what's best for you?

 

[Deguello]

I was setting up some shortcuts when 12 came out and they let you choose your map provider. I thought was a cool step in the right direction.

I use Waze for driving locally. Google to look at longer routes and street view. Apple for looking for POIs, restaurants, etc.

Apple doesn't have the best of everything, so I don't see the point of using an interior product just because Apple made it.

Well, Apple Music maybe because family sharing was so much easier than Spotify. But if they keep playing country music on my FFDP radio, I might reconsider.

 

[archer75]

When you're fully in the ecosystem everything just works better.

We travel a lot. We do a lot of camping and I pull a trailer for that and as such I use navigation regularly. I often use apple maps but I also use google maps and waze. I find that in terms of getting me there apple maps and google maps are pretty much the same but I prefer looking at apple maps. Waze is unique in the information it provides and I still use that often as well.

For podcasts I prefer pocketcasts. But the apple podcast app is ok.

Apple music vs spotify. All depends on your usage. Spotify does have better sound quality and I prefer the dark theme. It also has tons of options but I find that I don't use most of them so apple music also works fine for me.
And spotify refuses to release an apple watch app so if I just want to bring my watch with me on a run apple music allows me to transfer playlists to it. I can also use my steering wheel controls to pull up siri to control apple music(I don't have car play and this still works) but I can't control spotify this way.
I do very much love spotify connect for playing on a variety of hardware as I have very few things that work with airplay. And the spotify desktop software is worlds better than itunes for when I need to interface with it that way.

So it's a toss up for me.

 

[Akrapovic]

Try them and see if it works for you. The only one you have to pay to try is Apple Music, so sign up for a single month. I tried it and tbh, even with a phone and watch, I still prefer Spotify. It's just a better app to use, and I do find some stuff unavailable on Apple Music (although this is getting better, it isn't solved yet).

Apple Podcast app is better than it used to be but still isn't even close to Overcast. Spark is a better email client than default email. Chrome does beat Safari in some ways, but Safari is a nicer looking app. Safari will respect your privacy more too. There are better camera apps (Camera+2, Focos, etc), there are better weather apps (Dark Sky, Carrot), there are better notes apps, and Google maps is miles better than Apple Maps in my area and has street view. But with Google Maps you do have to be aware of the privacy issues obviously. There are better reminder/todo apps (thousands of the, but check out GoodTask2 - underrated and very cool).

Just try them and see. Everyones use cases are different. If all my Music was on Apple Music I'd move, for example. If I didn't have very specific needs with my reminders, I'd consider the default app, etc.

 

[ckhris1613]

Apple maps
Good luck with the “ecosystem”

 

[ericwn]

Not sure why you don’t simply try out the apps you are interested in - they are available.
Apple maps and music work well for me.

 

[adammull]

Yes to all except for Maps. Still to this day many years later I can open Google Maps and Apple Maps from my work to home and Apple is the stupidest f***CKING route home ever. And no I don't live in the middle of nowhere. Middle of a big city actually.