iOS Apps From Google and Others Improve on Apple Defaults - Liz Gannes - Mobile - AllThingsD

Excerpt from a timely Apple/Google app reality check

"But what’s going on here is bigger than Google just devoting design and programming resources to make nice alternatives for users who prefer a competitor’s platform.
The reason these apps are so useful to me is because I’m already so invested in the Google platform as a longtime user. The apps remember my history and my most recent state, so they can sync from one place to the other. If I use Google apps, I spend less time retyping the same information on a smaller screen, which makes me safer and less annoyed.
So, in a way, it’s really more about Google being cross-platform than making something nice for iOS. The reality is, the iPhone is just one device I might pick up throughout the day."

iOS Apps From Google and Others Improve on Apple Defaults - Liz Gannes - Mobile - AllThingsD