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I feel like I am in the extreme minority in that I pretty much never use an app for anything that already has a website. I just use the website on my phone. Th

I feel like I am in the extreme minority in that I pretty much never use an app for anything that already has a website. I just use the website on my phone. The experience might be slightly worse, but I much prefer just staying in the browser on my phone for everything. Reddit, Twitter, the few times I log into Facebook, are all just using a browser. I just find it simpler, and I like when the interface is the same on my phone and desktop (which is why I use old Reddit)

not2b 4y ago
Some sites attempt to prevent you from using the browser on a phone (notably reddit, though as you say old Reddit is a workaround).
- djitz 4y ago
  It pains me greatly that somehow Reddit engulfed just about every forum on earth, because I despise the way they force you onto the app. Their manipulation of search engines’ “last updated” parameters are also egregious.
  - polotics 4y ago
    Reddit I started to look at on my phone, but then it tried to bully me into installing an app. I like bullies much less than I like forums, so I do not look at Reddit on my phone anymore. Matter fixed!
CoastalCoder 4y ago
I don't know how big that minority is, but I'm part of it. I have an Android phone, and any time a company tries pushing me to use their native app, I start counting my silverware.
kody 4y ago
I'm right there with you. I wonder why I even have a smartphone since I'm so app-averse, other than requiring the computing power to run any modern bloated website. I've had arguments with PMs instisting that, for example, a shopper in a supermarket is not going to download an app but they will visit a website that can offer equivalent functionality.
Groxx 4y ago
Tabs, extensions, bookmarks, and sharable URLs are so very nice, and so few apps implement them. Browsers are great.
utunga 4y ago
I'm with you also. But it is getting harder and harder. I'm convinced that Facebook are actively downgrading their in-browser mobile experience for this reason. They want to force you to use their app. Reddit, at least, are more honest about it - but also very annoying. Features that used to work just fine (tagging people, editing comments) are becoming worse.
- MereInterest 4y ago
  Facebook in a mobile browser also actively lies to you about Messenger notifications. It displays an icon saying that you have messages, but redirects you to install the Messenger app instead of displaying them. There aren't actually any messages present, so the entire thing is just a scam to get access to your phone.
- ccouzens 4y ago
  It has gotten so bad that I now wait to I'm on my laptop before I post to Facebook. I did try the app again recently and it was bad in other ways (eg not using my phone's photo picker. As the photo I wanted was on a cloud service I couldn't select it from the app)
leodriesch 4y ago
This works very well, I use the Instagram PWA instead of the app. It is feature-complete content-wise, so you can view everything you can in the app. But it is not feature-complete in the other ways, so it has no advertisements (at least for me) or the new algorithmic feed. Just the old version of the Instagram home feed that is chronological. Highly recommend it if you can live with the decrease in "smoothness" compared to the app.

not2b 4y ago

Some sites attempt to prevent you from using the browser on a phone (notably reddit, though as you say old Reddit is a workaround).

djitz 4y ago
It pains me greatly that somehow Reddit engulfed just about every forum on earth, because I despise the way they force you onto the app. Their manipulation of search engines’ “last updated” parameters are also egregious.
- polotics 4y ago
  Reddit I started to look at on my phone, but then it tried to bully me into installing an app. I like bullies much less than I like forums, so I do not look at Reddit on my phone anymore. Matter fixed!

CoastalCoder 4y ago

I don't know how big that minority is, but I'm part of it. I have an Android phone, and any time a company tries pushing me to use their native app, I start counting my silverware.

kody 4y ago

I'm right there with you. I wonder why I even have a smartphone since I'm so app-averse, other than requiring the computing power to run any modern bloated website. I've had arguments with PMs instisting that, for example, a shopper in a supermarket is not going to download an app but they will visit a website that can offer equivalent functionality.

Groxx 4y ago

Tabs, extensions, bookmarks, and sharable URLs are so very nice, and so few apps implement them. Browsers are great.

utunga 4y ago

I'm with you also. But it is getting harder and harder. I'm convinced that Facebook are actively downgrading their in-browser mobile experience for this reason. They want to force you to use their app. Reddit, at least, are more honest about it - but also very annoying. Features that used to work just fine (tagging people, editing comments) are becoming worse.

MereInterest 4y ago
Facebook in a mobile browser also actively lies to you about Messenger notifications. It displays an icon saying that you have messages, but redirects you to install the Messenger app instead of displaying them. There aren't actually any messages present, so the entire thing is just a scam to get access to your phone.
ccouzens 4y ago
It has gotten so bad that I now wait to I'm on my laptop before I post to Facebook. I did try the app again recently and it was bad in other ways (eg not using my phone's photo picker. As the photo I wanted was on a cloud service I couldn't select it from the app)

leodriesch 4y ago

This works very well, I use the Instagram PWA instead of the app. It is feature-complete content-wise, so you can view everything you can in the app. But it is not feature-complete in the other ways, so it has no advertisements (at least for me) or the new algorithmic feed. Just the old version of the Instagram home feed that is chronological. Highly recommend it if you can live with the decrease in "smoothness" compared to the app.