Apple Vendor Lock - The Walled Garden

[kaardowiq]

I'm iPhone user since the first iPhone - the iPhone classic. This was my first Apple device in life after my first time on Windows Mobile 6.x. However, I upgraded later to the iPhone 3G, 4, and so on. Somewhere between 3G and 4 I think, I got on OSX with the MacBook Late 08.
Wow, everything was amazing... I got iPads, AppleTV, Watch etc. Never had any issues with apple devices, all ones are still working...

Today, I have everything in the iCloud, everything synced, I love to see tagged faces on Photos on my phone, tablet an Mac as well. I highly use the free (and not counted) shared albums with my wife. Together, we're full in - including HomeKit with Cams and over 63 actors (to be honest, they're also usable via Alexa in the time). I love to have firstname@lastname.TLD with my wife for mail, calendar, shared calendar, etc.

While I could easily change my device to Android, I have immense issues with all the content. We could create personal Google accounts with the lack of our own domain and have to use another service between to send from, and forward mails. This also means that we would need to change all upcoming calendar entires as well. We could change to GSuite/Workspace but it would cost more than fourfold. We could host everything in cloud or home ourself which requires time for administration, backups etc.. What about Microsoft - they have great plans for families but everything relies on @outlook addresses or you need to have your domain served by Go Daddy.

At the moment, I really like to switch to the Fold 3, but I have no real solutions to get our frequently used services work. Sure, there's a solution for everything. I could host the photos on personal google accounts, host email and cal/contacts on Microsoft by moving my domain to GoDaddy, use external services for shared photo services that aren't count against my storage plan, use Alexa completely for home automatization,...

Many people talk about green and blue bubbles, funny stuff that can be replaced by any other messenger. But sometimes I think I'm the only one who uses shared calendars, contacts, photos etc. Do other families do not share or only by sharing (a bunch of) single pictures via WhatsApp or similar messengers? I mean, it's cool to get pictures, but it's much cooler to find them again if needed.

With this, it really come in my mind, that there's no real competition to iCloud+ services, now. What do you think.

 

[ian87w]

You got it. It's called the ecosystem, and Apple arguably has the most comprehensive ones. Apple has everything, from email, cloud storage, music, movies, phones, computers, and smartwatches.

Samsung is the close second, but they do it by mashing different vendors, from themselves (the hardware, from phone to wearables), Microsoft (for Windows OS and integration), and Google for Android. You can somewhat replicate the ecosystem, but it's not as nice and is full of patchwork as you are dealing with at least two vendors or more.

Google, the third, doesn't have solutions for laptops (unless you use Chromebooks), and barely do wearables and tablets.
Microsoft, doesn't have their own phones and wearables.

There's a reason those who are into Apple and can afford it rarely switch.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

You got it. It's called the ecosystem, and Apple arguably has the most comprehensive ones. Apple has everything, from email, cloud storage, music, movies, phones, computers, and smartwatches.

Samsung is the close second, but they do it by mashing different vendors, from themselves (the hardware, from phone to wearables), Microsoft (for Windows OS and integration), and Google for Android. You can somewhat replicate the ecosystem, but it's not as nice and is full of patchwork as you are dealing with at least two vendors or more.

Google, the third, doesn't have solutions for laptops (unless you use Chromebooks), and barely do wearables and tablets.
Microsoft, doesn't have their own phones and wearables.

There's a reason those who are into Apple and can afford it rarely switch.

I agree. If something is working for you why bother switching to something else. It would make NO sense to start over especially if the person can afford it. That is why I am not tied down to any one company. I use products from various tech companies and can leave whenever I want.

 

[geraldem]

Agree 100%, I have the same use patterns and experiences. I wish Apple would open up a bit though, since it does lock you in and limits choices across platforms..etc. But totally understand it is not in Apple's business interest to do so. Have an open ecosystem or platform would be great, but it would not equate into $$'s. So we get to choose platforms/ecosystems...and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

When it comes to contacts, calendar, voice mail, and email. I use Google. Makes switching platforms so much easier. I also use Google Drive and my NAS for storage, but that’s more manual vs iCloud’s automatic.

I still sync with other services as well, like if I’m on Apple or Samsung, I’ll sync with them along with Google. Yes, I’ll have duplicate contacts and calendar info, but that doesn’t bother me.

In all the years of using Google services, I can’t remember not one outage. iCloud did have an outage or two over the years. Nothing major though, but enough to remind me how being so dependent on one platform can cripple things.

Samsung’s device to device connection with photos, calling, and texting is almost as good as Apple, when it comes to phone and tablet, but it relies mostly on talking to other hardware vs the cloud.

 

[SteveJUAE]

I'm iPhone user since the first iPhone - the iPhone classic. This was my first Apple device in life after my first time on Windows Mobile 6.x. However, I upgraded later to the iPhone 3G, 4, and so on. Somewhere between 3G and 4 I think, I got on OSX with the MacBook Late 08.
Wow, everything was amazing... I got iPads, AppleTV, Watch etc. Never had any issues with apple devices, all ones are still working...

Today, I have everything in the iCloud, everything synced, I love to see tagged faces on Photos on my phone, tablet an Mac as well. I highly use the free (and not counted) shared albums with my wife. Together, we're full in - including HomeKit with Cams and over 63 actors (to be honest, they're also usable via Alexa in the time). I love to have firstname@lastname.TLD with my wife for mail, calendar, shared calendar, etc.

While I could easily change my device to Android, I have immense issues with all the content. We could create personal Google accounts with the lack of our own domain and have to use another service between to send from, and forward mails. This also means that we would need to change all upcoming calendar entires as well. We could change to GSuite/Workspace but it would cost more than fourfold. We could host everything in cloud or home ourself which requires time for administration, backups etc.. What about Microsoft - they have great plans for families but everything relies on @outlook addresses or you need to have your domain served by Go Daddy.

At the moment, I really like to switch to the Fold 3, but I have no real solutions to get our frequently used services work. Sure, there's a solution for everything. I could host the photos on personal google accounts, host email and cal/contacts on Microsoft by moving my domain to GoDaddy, use external services for shared photo services that aren't count against my storage plan, use Alexa completely for home automatization,...

Many people talk about green and blue bubbles, funny stuff that can be replaced by any other messenger. But sometimes I think I'm the only one who uses shared calendars, contacts, photos etc. Do other families do not share or only by sharing (a bunch of) single pictures via WhatsApp or similar messengers? I mean, it's cool to get pictures, but it's much cooler to find them again if needed.

With this, it really come in my mind, that there's no real competition to iCloud+ services, now. What do you think.

Not sure why you seem to be looking at what seems an odd route to get your Fold 3 or 4 working with your legacy data etc

Like Apple Samsung works best with windows and windows and MS outlook do not care where your email and cloud stuff is

Apple make a nice app so you can synch all your legacy stuff easily https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/icloud-windows/icwd3c1cca5e/icloud

Once your comfortable you can ween yourself of some of the old services at your leisure on to MS cloud or Google if you wish or just stick with your Apple cloud services

 

[5105973]

I'm iPhone user since the first iPhone - the iPhone classic. This was my first Apple device in life after my first time on Windows Mobile 6.x. However, I upgraded later to the iPhone 3G, 4, and so on. Somewhere between 3G and 4 I think, I got on OSX with the MacBook Late 08.
Wow, everything was amazing... I got iPads, AppleTV, Watch etc. Never had any issues with apple devices, all ones are still working...

Today, I have everything in the iCloud, everything synced, I love to see tagged faces on Photos on my phone, tablet an Mac as well. I highly use the free (and not counted) shared albums with my wife. Together, we're full in - including HomeKit with Cams and over 63 actors (to be honest, they're also usable via Alexa in the time). I love to have firstname@lastname.TLD with my wife for mail, calendar, shared calendar, etc.

While I could easily change my device to Android, I have immense issues with all the content. We could create personal Google accounts with the lack of our own domain and have to use another service between to send from, and forward mails. This also means that we would need to change all upcoming calendar entires as well. We could change to GSuite/Workspace but it would cost more than fourfold. We could host everything in cloud or home ourself which requires time for administration, backups etc.. What about Microsoft - they have great plans for families but everything relies on @outlook addresses or you need to have your domain served by Go Daddy.

At the moment, I really like to switch to the Fold 3, but I have no real solutions to get our frequently used services work. Sure, there's a solution for everything. I could host the photos on personal google accounts, host email and cal/contacts on Microsoft by moving my domain to GoDaddy, use external services for shared photo services that aren't count against my storage plan, use Alexa completely for home automatization,...

Many people talk about green and blue bubbles, funny stuff that can be replaced by any other messenger. But sometimes I think I'm the only one who uses shared calendars, contacts, photos etc. Do other families do not share or only by sharing (a bunch of) single pictures via WhatsApp or similar messengers? I mean, it's cool to get pictures, but it's much cooler to find them again if needed.

With this, it really come in my mind, that there's no real competition to iCloud+ services, now. What do you think.

I’m on shared albums with other parents in our kids’ social groups and on shared albums with family. When we all go out as a huge group to a huge amusement park we use iOS features to keep track of everyone’s location in the park. One year we had a couple who was on Android and they ended up sticking with an “Apple couple” so they could remain tracked.

I love Android but I run two separate lines because I’m probably never going to be able to leave the ecosystem the way I did in 2016 when I made my HTC 10 my main device for several months. I found myself missing Apple News, of all things!

My husband loves his Samsung Fold 3 but he runs his secondary sim in it. His main sim is in his 14 Pro Max. Unlike me, he’s really tried hard to make an Android phone his daily driver. He spent a good chunk of 2019 on a Pixel. He’s also done that with various Samsung phones. He copes well but it’s annoyed everyone else dealing with him not being on iMessage and FaceTime and so on.

 

[kaardowiq]

I’ve given up on getting out of the walled garden. Tried other solutions in parallel. However, all of them are equal in monthly fees and not as smooth except of Google. Unfortunately, I can’t use my custom domain there except of business accounts which may limit me in products like Stadia and max not share space (to be payed for each account). I like GSuite much more but it doubles the price for just two accounts…

Google One Family Sharing with custom domains would be great.

 

[MAlbi]

I’m on shared albums with other parents in our kids’ social groups and on shared albums with family. When we all go out as a huge group to a huge amusement park we use iOS features to keep track of everyone’s location in the park. One year we had a couple who was on Android and they ended up sticking with an “Apple couple” so they could remain tracked.

I love Android but I run two separate lines because I’m probably never going to be able to leave the ecosystem the way I did in 2016 when I made my HTC 10 my main device for several months. I found myself missing Apple News, of all things!

My husband loves his Samsung Fold 3 but he runs his secondary sim in it. His main sim is in his 14 Pro Max. Unlike me, he’s really tried hard to make an Android phone his daily driver. He spent a good chunk of 2019 on a Pixel. He’s also done that with various Samsung phones. He copes well but it’s annoyed everyone else dealing with him not being on iMessage and FaceTime and so on.

“Apple couple” muheeheee
And to the topic, i promised not to drown deep into any ecosystem. Partially because of that limited approach us/them, like “Apple couple”, enjoy it, your way. There is a device & os for every situation, i realized i do not need to do many futile things “modern” phone offers. Not using iCloud, native apple apps can do a lot already. Android phone desktop is amazing, pocket computer. Need no computer. Even lousy iphone does good audible calls.
Anyway have a nice day.