{"id":40235,"date":"2023-08-02T22:37:53","date_gmt":"2023-08-03T02:37:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=40235"},"modified":"2023-08-09T15:46:59","modified_gmt":"2023-08-09T19:46:59","slug":"mozilla-shutting-down-pocket-for-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2023\/08\/02\/mozilla-shutting-down-pocket-for-mac\/","title":{"rendered":"Mozilla Shutting Down Pocket for Mac"},"content":{"rendered":"

Michael Potuck<\/a> (Mastodon<\/a>):<\/p>\n

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Mozilla has announced today that its read-it-later service Pocket will be retiring its Mac app this month. Users are encouraged to install the iOS app on their Mac or use the web going forward.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The whole point of native apps is that I don’t<\/em> want a “consistent user experience across mobile and web.” That’s another way of saying “lowest common denominator.” I would rather have a differentiated\/optimized experience on each platform. This change also completely removes support for the app on Intel-based Macs, which can’t run iOS apps. Although, if it’s anything like most Catalyst, not to mention iOS apps for the Mac, I’d probably prefer the Web version, anyway.<\/p>\n

Catalyst is not working out as I’d hoped. Four years in, and it still seems to be caught in an awkward middle ground. With very few exceptions, the apps don’t feel like real Mac apps. Yet they’re apparently not easy enough to write and maintain that a lot of companies will add Mac support—and even existing Mac versions are being discontinued.<\/p>\n

With iOS Apps for Mac, expectations are lower, and I’ve sometimes found them useful, but it seems like most apps aren’t marked as available.<\/p>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n