Multiple Apps vs Single App

The cluster debates the merits of numerous specialized apps versus a single unified app or platform, focusing on issues like context switching, UI consistency, user experience, and whether everything needs to be a separate app.

📉 Falling 0.5x Other
3,621
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#5246
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Keywords

e.g UX NC AWS OS OCR API RSS BUT TwitPic apps app devices phone multiple consistency users programs os applications

Sample Comments

artpi • Dec 27, 2021 • View on HN

Many, many users expect every single thing to be an app

0xffff2 • Aug 26, 2025 • View on HN

Everyone only uses ~10-20 apps, the problem is that no one uses the same ~10-20 apps.

walterbell • Mar 9, 2024 • View on HN

Mostly from a handful of apps, why limit everyone else?

lol1lol • Aug 29, 2021 • View on HN

we have so many consumer facing apps. you'd want to maintain all those and actually have a life to use those? good luck!

flukus • Feb 16, 2017 • View on HN

At that point it's less complicated to have multiple apps than a single all form factors one.

cglong • Nov 9, 2019 • View on HN

As opposed to every native app that says the same thing?

mcantelon • Oct 3, 2012 • View on HN

Eventual hypothetical superiority in the future doesn't help user experience in the present. Why not allow people to choose which app they want to use?

sandGorgon • Mar 1, 2017 • View on HN

which is fine - but why not one product. does every feature need a new app/product?

aladial • Mar 22, 2013 • View on HN

Basically you're saying "multiple apps". Is that cumbersome?

philshem • Nov 19, 2019 • View on HN

Because one app is more used doesn’t mean other apps aren’t useful.