One thing that irks me about iOS is there does not seem to be an official way to use Google Chat through an app or in Safari. (There might be some third-party apps that attempt to achieve this, but I’d prefer something from Google themselves.)

I often use Google Chat to keep in touch with family and friends, as it’s a simple instant-message interface that’s baked into my Gmail inbox (which I already look at multiple times per day). It just makes sense to have chat alongside email.

It is annoying to always have to be at a desktop or laptop just to access Google Chat, as it is more useful while mobile (almost like an SMS replacement).

I believe it’s baked-in to Android devices, and I think it’s a huge selling point, considering a lot of people already use Gmail. Apple has their own messages service, but it’s less useful to me currently.

Just another thorn in my side as I continue to be stuck between Apple and Google for hardware and software.

UPDATE: A reader pointed me to Talkatone, which is not from Google, but might be worth trying out.