Introduction
Choosing a single ecosystem is neat in theory, messy in practice. My iPhone 13 Pro and MacBook Pro keep daily work friction-free, yet most of my collaborators breathe Google. I pay for 5 GB of iCloud to cover device backups and a few signed PDFs, while a 200 GB Google One plan stores every photo since 2012 plus shared project files. This post shows how I mix Apple’s polished continuity with Google’s cloud AI, why passkeys just saved me hours of login grief, and how I might copy MKBHD’s two-phone setup next year.
1. Where I Stand Today
- Hardware: iPhone 13 Pro, 14-inch MacBook Pro.
- Wish list: a compact mirrorless camera so quick snaps stay on the phone and proper shoots live on dedicated glass.
- Core workflows: note-taking, planning, messaging, content consumption.
- Cloud split: iCloud for backups and device settings, Google Drive for shared docs and the giant photo archive.
2. Continuity That Actually Saves Time
Apple makes my Mac feel like an iPhone with a bigger keyboard.
| Feature | How I use it | Time saved each week |
|---|---|---|
| iMessage on Mac | Reply to clients without reaching for the phone | ≈30 minutes |
| Phone calls on Mac | Accept or place GSM calls when the iPhone charges across the room | ≈15 minutes |
| AirDrop | Move RAW screenshots into Keynote drafts instantly | ≈20 minutes |
| Universal Clipboard | Copy links from Safari mobile to Obsidian desktop | ≈25 minutes |
| Passkeys | One-click login to Github, Google, and any website or app | ≥20 minutes |
Passkeys felt like a gimmick until I watched my mac autofill my biometric credentials on half a dozen sites during a client demo. Zero typing. No password manager pop-ups. and the best part is that it's not just for mac, it's for all my devices with the same icloud account.
3. Google Cross-App Threads Level Up Productivity
Google’s magic lives inside the web rather than across devices.
Confirm a meeting in Gmail → the thread spawns a Calendar event → a Drive folder auto-links in the invite → the task lands in Google Tasks with the due date pre-filled. All without extensions. Apple has no exact match for this end-to-end workflow. For sprint planning and shared assets, Google still wins.
4. Photos and Cloud Storage
Quick capture: iPhone ProRAW, edited in the Photos app, then synced to Google Photos over Wi-Fi.
Deep archive: Google Photos search lets me surface "Lisbon blue tram" shots from 2017 in seconds. Magic Editor removes tourists faster than any macOS tool.
| Service | Plan | What I store | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| iCloud | 5 GB (free tier) | iOS backups, essential PDFs | Default, encrypted, just enough space |
| Google One | 200 GB | Entire photo library, Drive docs | Cheaper per GB, best AI search |
5. Privacy Scorecard
Apple routes heavyweight requests through Private Cloud Compute and never logs identifiable data. Google processes more in its cloud but now offers partial on-device Gemini models. I rate privacy an 8/10, which keeps personal journals in Apple Notes while shared projects stay in Drive.
6. Customisation and Freedom Tax
I enjoy tweaking setups yet value shipping work more. iOS Focus modes and widgets cover most needs, while macOS automation via Raycast fills gaps. Android’s Tasker workflows are tempting, but configuration spirals can drain evenings.
7. Pain Points That Nudge Me Hybrid
- Google Drive on iOS still lacks true offline folder sync.
- Gmail iOS app cannot set default send-from aliases.
- Apple Calendar invites occasionally vanish when the organizer edits from Google Workspace.
- Obsidian sync on iCloud lacks Drive-style live version history, and it's not recommended to use it.
8. What Could Tip the Scale Next
- Rich Google Calendar actions inside Apple Shortcuts.
- A universal, encrypted Markdown note standard.
- On-device large language model email summaries on both platforms.
Conclusion
Apple’s continuity features and passkeys slash friction every hour. Google’s Drive-Calendar-Gmail-Tasks loop remains unbeatable for collaboration. The smartest move might be buying a second phone so I can enjoy ProMotion and Pixel call screening on the same day. What about you? Do you run a single stack or juggle both? Share your setup and let’s compare notes.