When and how Apple Notes became an extension of our brain

© Unsplash/Omar Al-Ghosson

In 2007, when the iPhone was released, Apple launched several applications natively in its smartphone. They would be the first generation of applications within the iPhone. At the time, we were still far from highly developed services, and we mostly found rudimentary features. This was particularly the case with the “Notes” application.

But since 2007, one might think that this application, with its limited design and features, would be overtaken by its time. However, it is quite the opposite. The application has never been so useful and used. It has become, despite its design, a true virtual extension of our brain.

Apple Notes: our virtual brain

© Unsplash/Brett Jordan

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, the iPhone's Notes app is touted as a solution to a thousand and one problems. It can be used to make shopping lists, but also to serve as a dream book or to write down ideas for first names or a whole bunch of other things, the vast majority of which don't even come to mind.

As the article finally sums up well, it is the ability of this application to transform itself according to our needs that has made it successful. Apple Notes is a simple application, which users can shape to their image. Something that was still an exception a few years ago in the Apple ecosystem, known for being very closed.

Why Apple Notes and not another ?

The sobriety of the application makes it reassuring. It can be used as a simple shopping list, or it can be built, developed with sections, files, images and tables. But the question that remains unanswered is to ask why Apple Notes has managed to take the lead, when its competitors are numerous.

One might think that the iPhone is the source of the app’s popularity. After all, it was on this device that it was born, and it is mainly on the Apple ecosystem that it is used. But that would be to minimize its importance on other platforms.

Another very important point to take into account is the difficulty of other applications to become a “turnkey” solution. With Apple Notes, you can take notes on your computer, tablet and phone. They sync themselves and can be edited as the user wishes.

A simple application

Much more comprehensive, the Notion application nevertheless fails to reach the general public © Presse-citron

Freedom of movement within an ecosystem that is still very pleasant and lacking in its competitors. So some will say that they prefer to use Google's suite of applications, which offers a very similar service, or the very (too ?) complete Notion application, which promises to consolidate 99% of your work. note taking within a single department.

But these applications are much harder to get started with and can scare users. You have to spend long minutes setting up pages and understanding how the application works. Once you have mastered the service, it works excellently well, but this initial effort is not encouraging. The general public always prefers simplicity, so they logically turn to Apple Notes.

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