Here’s how to Google your iPhone

You may have some Apple hardware, but prefer Google apps and services. Or maybe Google is less scary as the iPhone’s big brother than Apple (though both companies should raise privacy concerns). How much of your Google life can you spend on your iPhone with the Google app?

We’ll walk you through the steps required beyond just installing the Gmail app and signing in with your Google credentials. But once done, Apple could offer a little less information about everyday life, while Google could offer significantly more.

How to access Google on iPhone

So, to get things started, let’s talk about proprietary software. Apple often doesn’t want their technology to be used outside of their own ecosystem. This is why Apple products and software tend to work best when combined with other Apple products and software. As Steve Jobs says, “End to End Apple”.

However, introducing Google’s products and apps is more likely to deliver an inconsistent phone experience than simply subscribing to Apple’s walled garden philosophy with fewer features and integrations. I have.

However, if you love iPhone hardware but hate iPhone apps, this won’t hurt your experience. Here is what you need to do.

Create a Google Account

If you ask me, one of the things that makes many of Google’s apps so appealing is account integration. Many of the apps we’ll discuss later require account consolidation for the best experience. Create a Google Account on Google and follow the instructions.

choose an app

First, select the Google app you want to use on your iPhone. First, we recommend stocking up on the essentials of Google Maps, YouTube, and Chrome. Google Maps and Chrome definitely It offers a better experience than Apple’s counterparts (Apple Maps and Safari), so we think it’s worth simply trying something different.

But there is no substitute for YouTube, the video-based social media platform. you will want to install it.

default app

If you prefer Google’s apps over Apple’s own, you can also set them as default apps on your iPhone. Just go to your iPhone settings and scroll to the app you want to set as the default app. For example, under Gmail (in the Settings app) you’ll see an option to set it as your default email app. This option is also available in Google Chrome.

Additionally, you’ll need to install Gboard, the Google keyboard. After doing this,[設定]>[一般]>[キーボード]>[キーボード]>[新しいキーボードを追加]>[Gboard]Go to. Once this is done, you can switch to his Gboard using the globe button in the bottom left.

However, this option is not available in Google Maps. At the time of writing, Google Maps cannot be set as the iPhone’s default maps app.

Before you ask, no, you can’t trade Siri for the Google Assistant (but can Install the Google Assistant and use the “Hey Google” Assistant with the app open). But if you really want to, you can use Siri Shortcuts to open the Google Assistant app with a trigger word.

additional apps

To no one’s surprise, the app we just mentioned isn’t where Google-fy iPhone ends up. After the apps already mentioned, you need to install Google Calendar (for calendars), Google Drive (for cloud storage), Google Docs (for document editing) and Google Home (if you have a smart device supported by Google). I have. I don’t like home and homekit). Plus, install Google News if you’re tired of Apple News. If you want to specifically backup your iPhone photos, install Google Photos (which links to your Google Drive storage).

If you don’t mind Spotify or Apple Music, I recommend installing YouTube Music as well, but be aware that Spotify integrates pretty well with the Google ecosystem. For example, if you ask Google Assistant to play a song on Spotify, it will play accordingly.

Useful add-on apps

if you are interested in having full For Google suites containing additional apps for very specific purposes, consider the following apps.

• Google Keep is a great note management app and a worthy alternative to the iPhone’s built-in notes app.
• Install Google Translate if you need a quick language translation. Note, however, that it’s not perfect.
• If you’re looking for a FaceTime alternative, install Google Duo. Note, however, that Apple’s cute Memoji integration is missing.

widget

Last but not least, many Google apps on iPhone offer widgets that you can place around your home screen. Press and hold your finger on the screen and tap + in the upper left corner.

YouTube Music, Google Maps, Google Chrome, Google Calendar, Gmail, and Google Photos all have widgets you can place on your home screen.

that much, really

Congratulations, dear readers, you’ve made your iPhone as Google-friendly as possible.

You may be wondering: Why can’t I get an Android phone? Well, look for alternatives to the iPhone. Google is also slated for his IO event, which could reveal many new Android features.