Apple’s iOS platform is usually among the first mobile operating systems to get the newest apps (regardless of its functionality), with Android to follow sometime after. In the event there isn’t a dedicated app to fulfill a certain function, however, the iOS’ vast amount of users, supporters and developers will find a way.
When it came to Google on iOS, specifically, things like Gmail and Google Calendar, iPhone users had to utilize third-party apps or import their information into existing Apple-developed apps. Now, provided those methods haven’t become the preferred method, users now have a dedicated Google Calendar app as a more straightforward option.
Google probably said it best in their announcement of the iPhone app on the Official Gmail Blog earlier this week, saying, “It’s about time.”
Google Calendar on iPhone offers the same functions as its Android counterpart, including the major tweaks it received last year, as well as all of the upgrades and accompanying features present in the update from last week. This includes Events, which turns emails in Calendar events without any input from the user; Assets, a feature that offers suggestions in the hopes of saving time when creating events; and Schedule View, which alters the standard calender view, thereby making it easier to read.
Basically, despite this being the first Google Calendar app to appear on iOS, it certainly isn’t the base version it once was. And while it would’ve likely been easy for Google to skip over the iPhone entirely and instead focus on the Android user base, covering the two platforms was definitely the better of the two options. For both Google and iPhone owners.
Of course, the newly introduced app won’t be for everyone. Especially for those that, as mentioned before, have probably become used to their own methods, having gone without Google Calendar for so long. Macworld , after their own time spent with the app, suggested that there’s less of a need to make the shift if someone has other emails outside of Gmail, or has come to prefer other apps that provide the same functions.
Regardless, the Google Calendar app is here now, and iPhone owners should at least check it out before making a decision. Google may manage to convert some people, after all. The app can be found on the App Store for free, and requires iOS 7 or higher to run. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a version of app dedicated to the iPad, so if it is installed, expect things to be a bit stretched out.
[Image via Google]
