The Practical Uses of Apple's Stock Apps
For the high price tag on Apple's devices, I would hope their base apps are decent!
Anyone who considers themselves a tech enthusiast is familiar with the massive catalog of productivity and organizational apps that are out there. You would think at this point there’s only so many ways to reinvent the wheel, but app developers keep surprising us.
While I acknowledge that third-party apps have their place on your screen, I’d still like to argue that the stock apps found on every new Apple device meet the needs of the vast majority of users.
Whenever I experiment with a new app in my daily workflow, the ultimate test for the app is whether or not it will add extra steps to whatever I am trying to accomplish.
Take the Reminders App for instance. This underrated tool seems to default to most iPhone users’ grocery list app. But when those same people need a daily planner, they turn to apps like Things3 or Fantastical. With the former coming in at $50 and the latter billing a monthly subscription to use a calendar, we have to ask ourselves if it’s worth it.
I’ve divided my Reminders App into folders such as “financial”, “work”, etc. Using a Smart Folder, I have a “Today’s Schedule” that includes tasks marked with flags or due dates today from all of my lists. Throughout my day, I can check off tasks via the Reminders widget on my home screen with little thought. I’ve even gone as far as creating a second Smart Folder for tomorrow’s tasks too, just in case I want to get ahead.
While Things3 can essentially do the same thing, it offers a much wider range of customization and integration with other apps. Users of Things3 may argue that having those extra options is what makes the app’s high price tag worth it. As I used the app, I found that many of those extra features became unnecessary bloatware.
If I need something in my calendar, I put it in my Calendar App. I got tired of separate calendars being merged into one with duplicated birthdays and holidays. Instead I use a tagging system on the default Calendar App to signify what aspect of my life the event is for. Work, school, personal, etc. If I need to share my schedule with someone, I can just send them my work calendar view and they can schedule accordingly.
The ultimate test for knowing if you will use an app or not is if it requires extra steps. If the app interrupts your normal flow, chances are it will go unused. Apple’s brand is all about experience, and while that may mean a more simplistic layout, it does work.
I often see people with elaborate systems and desk setups but once the perfect setup is curated to the last tiny detail, they just sit and stare at it. There’s no work being done! It feels like such a waste. I say use the basics until they no longer meet your needs. The truth is, most of us only ever need the basic stuff.
Save your money, and try building a system that works for you, not one that makes you work for it. As I’ve done so, the results are almost instant. As always, for everything tech, you know where to find it.
Jake