Apple, Why Can’t I….? 🤨

Dear Apple Execs.,

I’m trying so hard to be content with your default apps., which I’ve been using instead of third party apps. I want to love your apps but most of the time I just like them, sometimes I merely tolerate them.

With just a few tweaks here and there and all would be good. So, why can’t I:

  • Create a simple text hyperlink in Mail and Notes on the iPad and iPhone like I can on the Mac?
  • Use a keyboard shortcut to copy a Notes URL without first sharing it with myself or others to create the link?
  • Export my Notes as plain, rich, TextBundle, and markdown files?
  • Create a backlink in Notes?
  • Use a keyboard shortcut to capture a task with Reminders?
  • Send an email to a Reminders address to create a task from the email (like one can in Things and OmniFocus) instead of the need to shout to Siri in my office, drag it to Reminders, or select the subject line, select share, and then select Reminders? It doesn’t have to be this hard.

If any of the above can be done, please have tech support call me!


Now I feel better ….

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I feel your pain…………

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Dear Dr. Mosbacker:

Our goal is to make our default apps “good enough” for the majority of our customers. Based on your comment we have achieved that goal.

We suggest you check out the wide variety of apps in our App stores. You may find what you need and we can make a few bucks on the deal.

——

:wink:

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All of us I am sure look forward to the “@Bmosbacker updates” coming soon to an Apple device near you! :slightly_smiling_face:

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Your complaints about Notes - especially the lack of a URL and backlinks (add lack of versioning to that) - ring very true to me. In the end, I couldn’t make it work except for ‘quick notes’ like shopping lists or temporarily jotting down a name.

As @anon20961960 and @WayneG say, there are many ‘power’ apps in the App Store which meet more advanced needs and increase Apple’s bottom line. It’s not Apple’s intention to cover their features but rather provide functionality that meets most people’s needs without overcomplicating the apps (I’m not sure they always achieve the latter, but…).

My daughter uses Apple Notes for work every day - I doubt export to Textbundle or obtaining a unique note URL has ever crossed her mind.

I gave up, and now use Obsidian for just about all notes and writing, much to my own surprise. Reminders is fine - on iOS I use a separate app for quick capture which meets my ‘on the go’ needs.

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I wish I could make Obsidian for notes and writing; I tried but failed. For my needs (which include long-form writing, a book, and speeches) it fails for the reasons listed below, hence my decision to stay with Ulysses.

  • I often need attachments and tables for my work notes–while possible with Obsidian, there is too much friction.
  • The only way to order files (e.g., chapters in a book) is to number them. That is far too much work if one has a lot of chapters or sections with which to contend.
  • I don’t want to depend heavily on plugins for important work, e.g, work that requires citations.
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@anon20961960, @WayneG, and @nationalinterest, I believe you are right. I generally don’t think of myself as a power user, especially compared to many in this forum, but I suspect compared to the “average” user I’m above average. :grin:

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Over the years I probably assisted 300+ coworkers, (plus friends and family of mine and those of company executives :grinning:) with their Apple devices.

IMO you are definitely above average.

I don’t agree that average users won’t use the type of functionality the good Dr mentions above.
They don’t offer it so how do they know it’s not relevant? Automation was always a ‘pro tool’ and once Apple brought it (more) mainstream, people are adopting it.
Why oh why can’t I make a reminder in my Apple Note that will automatically appear in the reminders app (can it? Please tell me it can!!)
Apple should be enhancing users productivity and experiences by making advanced functionality more approachable instead of out of reach. IMHO of course

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Would you mind emailing that to my former 2nd grade teacher (Clark Air Force Base, Manila, Phillipines)? :rofl:

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This reminds me of my long-wished for updates to macOS. In summary, I’d like Apple to focus on adding features to the Mac that make it a better overall system for working in. For the past few releases, I’ve not found anything really worthwhile in the new OSs. Nothing that really changes how I use my computer for the better. I’m always hopeful, and I always look forward to the new OS, but after a couple weeks it’s back to normal.

It’s not just Notes and Reminders, although that’s a good start, I’d like them to overhaul the entire operating system.

  • Automatic AI-assisted filing and retrieving of documents
  • System-wide tagging
  • System-wide markdown support
  • Simple links to everything
  • etc…

But instead we get System Settings. :man_shrugging:t2:

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Based on the people I used to support I doubt the percentage would be very high. But that’s not the point I was (humorously) trying to make. It is well known that Apple wants to make as much money as possibly from every person that buys one of their products.

Their default apps have always been good basic programs. Investing more in them may or may not result in additional Mac/iPhone/iPad sales. If it did, I would think Apple would do it. But it would also discourage developers from making similar programs.

Aside from the first two, I’ll eat my hat (gladly) if Apple adds any of these, nor do I think they should. These are all poweruser features that will only degrade the experience for regular users. Can’t imagine trying to explain backlinks to my uncle.

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This is the post I needed right now!!

Notes also needs an easier way to add colored text to notes on the Mac and the option all together on iOS.

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I have 2 kids in university now that use Notabilty- not Notes. They also use Office- never touch the Apple equivalents. The mail client they use- Gmail. Messaging-WhatsApp. Never touch iMessages. Browser- Chrome.
There’s a lot of sites out there talking tech and productivity to the masses - they seem to have an audience.
I’m just saying that I don’t think we should let Apple off the hook on these not (necessarily) power user features.
I want my Mail share sheet! :cry:

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Here is my possibly controversial take on this issue (but @WayneG and @anon20961960, seem to agree)….

I like the default apps (rely on a number of them, too!) and want them to be good, but my overall sense is that there shouldn’t really be first-party apps. They should be minimal products to show off features and tide us over. We should have a vibrant marketplace of high-quality (or varying quality!) third-party apps. In this fantasy of mine, the third-party apps could be set up as system defaults with the same full privileges as first-party apps. Why should the OS vendor compete with its customers, the developers?

In my fantasy universe, no doubt the third-party music app that accesses Apple Music would be top notch.

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The average user doesn’t even know Reminders exists or why they should be using it… The average user has stick-it notes.

I was several years out of university before I touched a computer. When I booted the IBM XT that had been sent to my manager I recall having to type in the time & date manually. That got me a screen showing C:\

Fortunately corporate included a few 5.5 inch diskettes with a few programs. (There is something to be said for default apps.)

Every consumer OS comes with a browser, mail, and calendar, etc… so why not include them with macOS? Keynote is real competition so Apple maybe shouldn’t include it? But Numbers and Pages don’t compete with MS Office so would it be OK to include them? And without default apps like News, Stocks, the App Store, and (if the rumors are correct) Maps where would Apple put their targeted advertisements?

You are basically describing Crapware, the stuff I wasted untold hundreds of hours removing from new Windows PCs :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:

The iPhone & iPad are different. You can’t have a walled garden without a full package of default apps. So they have to stay.


I don’t have a problem with your “fantasy universe”. In fact the way the EU is tightening down on big tech we may actually see something like it some day. That might turn out to be a good thing.

Crapware is software installed by default by an OEM or VAR. I’m not talking about that at all. I’m talking about the user being able to find a third-party solution that he or she wants to use, buying/subscribing/whatever to that app and being able to select it as the default of the category. (I have no interest in having third-party software automatically installed on my iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Nor do I wish such on anyone else.)

As I mentioned, I have no problem with default apps from the OS vendor, but I don’t think they should be replacements for what you should be able to get in the market. From a historical standpoint, one Mac advantage was that it came with enough software to make the system useful out of the box. Those of us staring down the C prompt, were not so fortunate.

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Agree. I am an inveterate tinkerer and long-time lover of tech and there is only one item on the list that I might use. Sample size of me, but my take is these would further complicate what are supposed to be simple apps. Especially on iOS/iPadOS.