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iPhone 5 vs. Nexus 4: Best Google Apps No Longer Android First

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Gmail, Google Maps and YouTube are traditionally better on Android smartphones, but in the past month Google reversed this trend by bringing the best Google experience to iPhone first.

Forget the Nexus 4, the best phone for heavy Google users is the iPhone.

I say this as someone who carries the iPhone 5 in one pocket and the Nexus 4 in the other .

The latest version of Gmail for iPhone, the new Google Maps for iPhone and even YouTube Capture are better on the iPhone than on any Android smartphone.

Gmail for iPhone

Gmail for iPhone 2.0 brings a cleaner mobile email interface, support for multiple accounts, notifications and multiple Inbox views.

Until this new version was released, I read 95% of my email on an Android smartphone, lately the Nexus 4. With the new Gmail app on iPhone, the iPhone and iPad are now my go to devices for email.

Gmail for iPhone better than Android

Gmail for iPhone is better than it’s Android counterpart.

Notifications are nice, but the smart layout and better view options are what took Gmail away from the Nexus 4.

For some unknown reason the Gmail app for Android does not offer an Important and Unread view. This means anytime i check the Priority Inbox on the Nexus 4 I see all the email I’ve already dealt with.

Gmail for the iPhone is cleaner, showing my only Important and Unread messages, much like Gmail in the browser. The experience is vastly better than on the Nexus 4 or any other Android phone in my office.

Google Maps for iPhone

Not only does Google Maps for the iPhone put Apple Maps to shame, it offers a cleaner interface on the iPhone than on Android.

Google Maps for iPhone - vs Android

Google Maps for iPhone vs. Google Maps for Android.

The difference is not as stark as on the Gmail app, but in Google Maps on the iPhone it’s easier and faster to search and get to navigation than on the Nexus 4.

It helps that Google Maps for the iPhone focuses on Maps and Navigation and not being the hub for Google Local, Offers, My Places, Check Ins and Latitude like the Android version.

YouTube Capture

The latest app to arrive on the iPhone first is YouTube Capture, an app that makes it easy to take video, quickly edit video and upload it to YouTube.

YouTube Capture is a better way to take videos for sharing, and to enhance them before uploading them. Android users can use the movie editor to fix movies, but on the iPhone YouTube Capture makes it easy to trim, stabilize, add a soundtrack and color correct the video. After uploading, the app can share to YouTube, Google+, Facebook and Twitter at the same time.

“Coming Soon” the Official Android Slogan?

Android users are used to the “Coming Soon” tag, but it’s different when Google is developing superior products and experiences for the iPhone and telling Android users, who invested in Google’s ecosystem, to wait.

As an iPhone owner that relies heavily on Google services the trend of delivering iPhone apps before Android apps is great, but it’s not doing much to convince Android users that they are Google’s priority.

 

20 Comments

20 Comments

  1. asdasd

    12/20/2012 at 7:04 am

    boo hoo ifags, you think iphones are so great? go suck steve jobs’ dick you moron

    • Ray

      12/20/2012 at 10:58 am

      Wow, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. lol

    • Larry

      12/20/2012 at 4:45 pm

      Damn well said there!! Take it easy there!! Apple sucks true that!! But Apple was better off wen Steve was here!! Apple died wen he died!! Tim cook now so now it’s all rotten apples!! R.I.P. Steve !! I won’t mock a dead person bro!!

  2. sproketz (@sproketz)

    12/20/2012 at 7:04 am

    Nice attempt at spinning this story. If you’ve actually used both versions of Google Maps you’d realize that the “simplicity” of the IOS version of Google Maps is largely due to missing powerful features and a lack of instant one touch access to key often used features.

  3. Da Ge (@dang1970)

    12/20/2012 at 7:11 am

    Coming soon to Android – even more people using it vs all other mobile OS

  4. Akil

    12/20/2012 at 8:22 am

    Coming soon is popular bcoz Android is not just on 1 phone ,its quite big family !

  5. Chris

    12/20/2012 at 8:59 am

    It is largely determined by personal preference, but Iphone does hold the simple OS enabling app developers ease of creating decent fast high pix elated apps where as Android is a little more difficult but just as good. I hold the S3 and Iphone, and I must say all the widgets, Google Now, etc are great, way more advanced than the Iphone, but day to day life they are “show off” features I don’t really need – The iphone does everything I want a phone for, quickly and simple. :)

    • Catalin

      01/02/2013 at 2:40 pm

      So does Nokia 100.

  6. Ray

    12/20/2012 at 11:01 am

    The iPhone is showing how weak and fragile it is without Google’s superior applications.

  7. Gary

    12/20/2012 at 12:19 pm

    Lamo… this is clickbait, pure and simple. Notice how this guy has a token Galaxy Nexus in his profile. If you knew anything about the Android OS, you would realise that Google Apps are significantly more integrated into the OS, making them more intuitive and easier to navigate. I have an iPhone 4s, ipad 4, Nexus 10, Nexus 7, Galaxy Nexus, iPod Touch 4th Gen, Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, Galaxy Tab 7″, Macbook Pro, Acer Iconia A110, Lenovo Thinkkpad X220 and Acer AX3810 HTPC running windows 8. I’m more qualified than this idiot “fanboy” Josh (I clearly never use Android) Smith, and I can tell you now, Android 4.2.1 is far a more intuitive, complete and advanced OS than iOS. You only need to read professional (non bias) reviews to see the massive difference between the two. In fact, it is my opinion that iOS is for dummies. Simple people if you like, that lack even the most basic computer skills. Someone like your grand mother or a 5 year old. That being said, my 20 month old son can comfortably navigate though my Android devices. Apple’s iOS is stale and crusty with no innovative features at all. Just pretty apps lol

  8. Larry

    12/20/2012 at 4:39 pm

    Just got my nexus 4 and proudly sold my iPhone 5!!! No comparison nexus 4 wins!! Apple sucks its all looks and issues bug infested overpriced shit!!! Every time they update iPhone to do a fix it leads to other issues just like iOS 6.0.2 !! It’s on gizmodo and this site!! Sorry all you apple fan boys n girls lol haaaa haaaaa

  9. Lee

    12/20/2012 at 5:19 pm

    This article is misleading! I have both of the devices and I would say the Android apps have more options to choose in android phone compared to iphone. The writer should have done proper study before writing this article. Try to google for other review article (which are much more comprehensive and non biased) and you will find this article is totally wrong!

    • Larry

      12/20/2012 at 6:15 pm

      The writer josh smith looks like he would work at Walmart anyways!! As a door greeter!!! Hi welcome to Walmart lol lol lamo!!!!!

  10. jwhite

    12/20/2012 at 6:27 pm

    Wow what a biased article. Please remove and review the bullshit you just posted. Maybe even review your career as reviewer..

    • Jim

      12/20/2012 at 7:41 pm

      It’s called humor dude!!! Did u wake up on the wrong side of the bed????

  11. Application Solution

    12/20/2012 at 8:26 pm

    I love android phone thanx for sharing such a wonderful information i think this is very nice post and great content..

  12. Hunter

    12/20/2012 at 8:54 pm

    It isn’t just Google that covers both platforms; many of the best apps are available on both systems, including my favorite. The DISH Remote Access app is available on both iOS and Android for free. With it I stream live TV or recordings from my DVR to my phone over the internet. I love it because I can watch Thursday Night Football, even though I am stuck working at my desk at DISH.

  13. Danny

    12/20/2012 at 10:11 pm

    Apple’s Iphone is so much better, tried so many Android based phones and nothing compares to the simplicity and power of the Iphone!!

    • Larry

      12/22/2012 at 7:06 pm

      Ya right?? First of all nexus 4 don’t have the purple hase camera issue or keypad issue or battery or the maps issue etc. or lack of power you are limited to what u can do on a iPhone with android you have way more customizing you can do free not apples lock out plus there are more android users than apple users do the math!! Also iPhone 5 has only 1 gb ram most android now have 2 gb ram!! And a nice crisp clear speaker sound for music and a larger clear display!! Ya apple added 1/2 inch more ohhh big deal droid had that ages ago!! The money apple makes they should out do android but they just can’t!! And never will!! Face it apple sucks!!!

  14. jason

    12/21/2012 at 9:35 am

    i agree that the ui for gmail is much better on the iphone…

    but the delivery of the email to androids is much faster. example: when i get an email, on the iphone i get a notification with a small preview of the message. i unlock the phone and proceed to the app, i have to wait for the email to download itself!

    on the android phone, the notification pops up and the email is already downloaded bringing the message immediately. this isn’t a problem for 1-2 emails, but anything more than that it is annoying!

    if google will not change the ui on android… fine but at least give us the ability to swipe right so we can see additional folder rather than tapping the folder button

    all in all, everything i typed here is extremely nit-picky – gmail is still a reliable email server on either phone

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