Just got my first iPhone (16 Pro Max) after using a Pixel 7 Pro for a while. Almost everything feels smoother, but I noticed apps like YouTube Music don’t respond as fast on iPhone. There’s a noticeable delay—about a second—when hitting play/pause, while on the Pixel it’s instant. Apple Music runs perfectly, so I’m wondering if Apple does this on purpose to push people toward their own apps.
It’s actually up to Google to make their apps run smoothly on iPhones. Apple’s only job is to review apps for safety and rule compliance, not to make them run better.
Bryce said:
It’s actually up to Google to make their apps run smoothly on iPhones. Apple’s only job is to review apps for safety and rule compliance, not to make them run better.
Right, so they just optimise their own stuff to work seamlessly?
@Ellis
Exactly. Apps are entirely controlled by their developers, not by the platform (whether that’s iOS, Android, or something else like Windows or macOS).
Bryce said:
@Ellis
Exactly. Apps are entirely controlled by their developers, not by the platform (whether that’s iOS, Android, or something else like Windows or macOS).
It’s true for most apps, but not all… for example, browsers (like Chrome or Firefox) have had to use Apple’s older Safari engine instead of their own for a while. That also made it hard to add things like extensions.
@Morgan
But that’s mostly limited to browser engines. Google’s apps aren’t just using a browser engine—they’re native apps. YouTube Music, for example, shouldn’t be relying on any browser engine at all.
@Bryce
Yeah, but browser engines are still part of the experience, and that experience can feel a lot different on Safari’s engine. Europe is actually pushing for more options in this area.
Morgan said:
@Bryce
Yeah, but browser engines are still part of the experience, and that experience can feel a lot different on Safari’s engine. Europe is actually pushing for more options in this area.
Apple only needs to allow other engines; they don’t have to create them. And why is this browser engine debate important if the app isn’t even using it? YouTube and YouTube Music aren’t running on the Safari engine—they’re made to work independently of that.
@Bryce
My point is just that Apple should let apps work freely, not restrict them to Apple’s preferences. Even though the browser engine isn’t always directly relevant, it can still shape the way people experience the app as a whole.
@Morgan
I totally get it when it comes to browsers, but I don’t see how it’s relevant for other Google apps like YouTube or YouTube Music. Those aren’t limited by browser engines and perform well on my iPhone without any extra tweaks. Maybe it’s just your phone causing the lag… I’ve never had issues like that, even on an older iPhone.
@Bryce
I usually use Safari on my iPhone for that extra layer of privacy in private browsing mode.
Morgan said:
@Bryce
I usually use Safari on my iPhone for that extra layer of privacy in private browsing mode.
Sometimes I also use Safari, but only for the privacy feature—it’s helpful for certain sites.
It’s Google’s job to optimise their apps, not Apple’s.
Why would Apple care about optimising Google apps?
Milan said:
Why would Apple care about optimising Google apps?
Apple has no reason to optimise any non-Apple apps. First, they don’t have access to Google’s code, and second, it’s just not their responsibility.
If Google’s apps aren’t working well, it’s on Google, not Apple.
I’ve been using YouTube Music without any issues. Tried it a few times since reading your post, but there’s no delay for me on my iPhone or on my partner’s Nothing phone.
Cai said:
I’ve been using YouTube Music without any issues. Tried it a few times since reading your post, but there’s no delay for me on my iPhone or on my partner’s Nothing phone.
Interesting… are you using version 18.0.1?
@Ellis
Yep! Maybe try reinstalling it—it might fix the issue.
*Edit: Added more info.
Just to let you know, YouTube Music can have the same problems on Android too. My partner and I both have complaints, and she’s using a Samsung Note9.