Because of my work, I have both an iPhone and an Android phone, along with Windows and Mac computers. And, when it comes to apps, I have to give Google credit for making almost all of its apps available to iPhone and Mac users, even though Google and Apple are fierce competitors. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t usually reciprocate. With few exceptions, Apple apps only run on Apple devices.
Google doesn’t do this out of generosity. It makes money from its apps in various ways, through advertising, subscription revenue, fees for extra storage, customer loyalty or by using anonymized data for research and product improvement. But it also means you don’t need to buy a Google Pixel or another Android device to take advantage of most Google apps. For example, almost every iPhone user I know has downloaded Google Maps, even if they also use Apple Maps, but Android users can’t access Apple Maps.
Seamless integration & AI photo editing
Many Google apps work beautifully on iPhones. Google Calendar, for example, syncs across devices, so if I add an event on one device, it shows up everywhere, even in Apple Calendar.
When I got my new iPhone, one of the first things I did was sync Apple Photos to Google Photos. Any picture I take is automatically copied to Google Photos so I can view or edit it on my PC. Even if you don’t care about syncing with a computer, Google Photos is still worth having on an iPhone. It offers extra editing tools such as Magic Eraser, which easily removes objects, people or flaws from a photo. Apple has a similar feature called “Clean Up,” but Google’s version works better. Some of Google Photos’ tools overlap with Apple’s, but others are unique.
Google Photos also includes features once limited to Pixel phones but now rolling out to other devices, including iPhones. One standout is “Help me edit,” which lets you describe edits with your voice, for example, changing backgrounds or outfits using AI. It was one of the highlights of my recent Pixel 10 review, and it’s great that iPhone users will soon get it, too.
A full suite of tools
Other Google apps that work on iPhone include Gmail, Chrome and Drive. Gmail syncs easily with Apple Mail, though I stick with Gmail because it works consistently on all my devices and even devices I don’t own if I have to access Gmail from a hotel or library computer. Chrome syncs bookmarks and settings as do other multiplatform browsers such as Microsoft Edge. Google’s Gemini AI assistant works on iPhone, as does ChatGPT. You can access Google Drive, Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive to save or share files between devices. Siri works only on Apple devices. Amazon’s Alexa works everywhere.
The Google app for Search, and the Google office suite — Docs, Slides and Sheets — all run on iPhones. You can make or receive calls with Google Voice and use Translator, Classroom, PhotoScan, Cloud Search, Google Earth and Smart Lock.
I love FaceTime, but it only works on Apple gear. Other video services including WhatsApp, Zoom and Google Meet work on all platforms. There is a way to join a FaceTime call through a web link, but you can’t switch to FaceTime during a voice call as you can if everyone is on iOS, and the process is not clunky.
If you have an iPhone and your kids use Android phones, Google Family Link lets you manage their devices right from your iPhone.
I also use Google Fit alongside Apple Health. Apple’s health app is excellent, but Google Fit has additional features and works with more third-party devices. Although Apple Watch only works with iPhones, Google-owned Fitbit devices work on both iPhone and Android (though Google’s Pixel Watch is Android-only).
And if that’s not enough, search “Google” in the Apple App Store, and you’ll find more options, including Gboard, Google’s own keyboard for iPhone.
Microsoft, tooMicrosoft also competes with both Apple and Google, yet it makes most of its products available across all platforms. The Microsoft Office suite — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and more — runs on both iOS and Android. If you search “Microsoft” in either app store, you’ll find an extensive lineup of apps, many of which sync with Windows PCs running the same software.
My takeawayThis level of cross-platform compatibility is great for iPhone users. You get the best of both worlds — Apple’s hardware and native apps plus Google’s and Microsoft’s excellent alternatives, many of which are free. But it’s disappointing that Apple doesn’t return the favor.
For example, I pay $13 a month to read Apple News on my iPhone, but I can’t read it on my PC or Android phone. Google News, which is free, works everywhere, though it lacks Apple’s premium content. I also get documents from colleagues in Apple’s Pages app that are difficult to open on a PC. There’s a limited iCloud workaround, but it’s clunky. In contrast, Microsoft Word and Google Docs both work seamlessly on iPhone, iPad and PC.
Apple’s iMessage is another example. It’s a terrific messaging platform, but it only works fully on Apple devices. You can exchange texts with Android users, but many features, such as message reactions and full-quality media, don’t carry over.
Maybe this all makes sense for Apple’s bottom line. Many people “solve” the problem by using only Apple products, which is exactly what Apple wants. But we live in a multiplatform world. Even if you’re loyal to Apple, chances are you communicate or collaborate with people who aren’t.
My wife, when she was a substitute teacher, often received documents in Pages or other Apple-only formats that she couldn’t open on her Windows PC or Android tablet. Her colleagues seemed unaware that not everyone could read those files.
People like me who own iPhones, Androids, Macs, and PCs are relatively rare, but plenty of users combine iPhones with Windows computers or use affordable Android tablets. For example, the 10.1-inch Lenovo Tab sells for around $145, a fraction of the cost of an iPad. These Apple customers should be able to run Apple apps on their other devices.
Larry Magid is a tech journalist and internet safety activist. Contact him at larry@larrymagid.com.