Google offers many iOS app options.
Apple and Google create the two most successful and best selling mobile phone operating systems. While Apple focuses strictly on iOS, and Google is responsible for Android, Google also has releases a number of apps that can be used on an iPhone.
Some of the Google apps released for iOS seem to compete directly with Apple’s own offerings. This could be seen as a direct attack at Apple, or just as a way for Google to spread its product for all to enjoy, while not restricting its potential customers only to those with Android-based phones.
App Comparisons
Here’s a look at how several popular apps compare in their Apple version and their Google Apps for iOS versions:
| Passbook | Wallet |
| Released with iOS6 | Released as iOS app officially on September 18, 2013 |
| Stores boarding passes, concert tickets, discount cards | Pay for goods, store discount cards |
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Google Now app on iOS
Search & Siri vs Google Now
| Search and Siri | Google Now |
| Easily find applications and search notes on the iPhone with Search | Search the web using voince recognition feature |
| Search the web, send text messages, post social media status updates, and more with Siri | Proactively offers answers based on previous answers, including local weather, directions, and favorite sports team’s game results |
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Mail vs Gmail
| Gmail | |
| Works with virtually any email provider | Works specifically with Gmail, taking advantage of the features Gmail offers |
| Can push new email notifications, syncs across devices, and lets you categorize email in folders | Ability to search emails more efficiently, includes new Gmail tabs, easier to categorize and sort emails |
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Safari vs Chrome
| Safari | Chrome |
| Many features, including cross-device syncing, reading list, and shared links | Fast browsing, syncs across devices, and more |
| Only works with other Apple devices (iPad, Macbook) | Works with any device, including PC and Android |
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Google Hangouts app on iOS
Text/Facetime vs Hangouts
| Text/Facetime | Hangouts |
| Texting lets people easily communicate with short texts | Text, video chat, and Gchat all in the same app with up to ten contacts at once |
| Facetime is limited to Apple devices, but makes for easy video calls | Syncs across devices, so you can easily chat with someone at a computer and continue the conversation on a phone without missing a beat |
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Apple Maps vs Google Maps
Google Maps was originally a pre-installed app on iOS devices. When iOS6 was released, Apple released its own version of Maps that failed. Though it works better as time goes on and the app is improved, Apple allowed for Google to offer Google Maps as a downloadable app within the App store shortly after the backlash against Apple Maps made it clear that a change needed to happen quickly.
Google Maps, like Apple Maps, offers turn-by-turn directions. They both have similar features, but Google Maps remains superior in accuracy.
Even More To Choose
Other Google app offerings on iOS devices include:
- Youtube, no longer offered as a pre-installed app, but it can be downloaded from the App store.
- Google+ social networking
- Google+ Local
- Google Latitude
- Google Drive
- Google Offers
- Google Play Music
If you have an iOS device, do you use the Google app offerings instead of iOS apps? Let us know why or why not in the comments section!
