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
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

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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.