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Series: Do You Use It? Polls

A collection of polls asking users about their Apple feature usage patterns.

Adam Engst 20 comments

Introducing “Do You Use It?” Polls

To get a sense of how heavily TidBITS readers use particular features in Apple’s operating systems, TidBITS is starting to host polls where you can vote, explain why you voted as you did, and see what others think.

Adam Engst 16 comments

Do You Use It? Stage Manager Sees Weak Adoption

The results from our first pair of Do You Use It? polls are in, and if TidBITS readers are representative, Stage Manager hasn’t been a big win for Apple.

Adam Engst 1 comment

Do You Use It? Spotlight on the Mac

This week's Do You Use It? poll asks if you use Spotlight on the Mac and—given the breadth of its capabilities—what you use it for.

Adam Engst 5 comments

Do You Use It? Launchpad Doesn’t Compete for Longtime Mac Users

We have the results in our Do You Use It? poll about Launchpad in macOS. While TidBITS readers probably aren’t representative of the broader Mac user base, most use some other method of quickly launching apps.

Adam Engst 1 comment

Do You Use It? Proxy Icons

This week's Do You Use It? poll asks how often you use proxy icons? Not even sure what they are? We hope that once we report on the results, you'll become a convert.

Adam Engst 6 comments

Do You Use It? Spotlight Sees Targeted Use for Finding Files and Launching Apps

The results of our poll asking how often people use Spotlight and what they use it for are in. While Spotlight enjoys broad usage, by far the most common features are finding files and launching apps—most of its more esoteric capabilities aren’t heavily used.

Adam Engst 1 comment

Do You Use It? Apple’s Weather on the iPhone

This week's Do You Use It? poll asks how you check the weather on your iPhone, and if it’s not using Apple's Weather app, which app you prefer.

Adam Engst 18 comments

Do You Use It? Proxy Icons Quietly Boost Productivity

The results of our poll asking about proxy icon use are in, and we hope that this article’s explanation of what proxy icons are good for encourages those who haven’t used them to give them a try.

Adam Engst 7 comments

Do You Use It? Apple’s Weather Leads a Wide Array of Popular Alternatives

After a pair of polls, we’ve found that TidBITS readers overwhelmingly use Apple’s Weather app on their iPhones, but they also rely on a vast number of other apps and websites. And lots of people miss Dark Sky.

Adam Engst 1 comment

Do You Use It? iPhone 14 Pro Always-On Display

This week’s Do You Use It? poll asks owners of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max if they keep the Always-On display enabled or disabled everyday use.

Adam Engst 17 comments

Do You Use It? iPhone Always-On Display Popular but Not Universal

The results of our poll of iPhone 14 Pro users are in, with two-thirds of respondents saying they keep the Always-On enabled. The remaining third cited distractions and reduced battery life as their reasons for turning it off.

Adam Engst 1 comment

Do You Use It? Mac Web Browsers

This week's Do You Use It? poll asks which Web browsers you use on your Mac. Safari may be a given for many Mac users, but there are a plethora of alternatives.

Adam Engst 13 comments

Do You Use It? Safari Ranks as Top Mac Web Browser

Which Web browsers do TidBITS readers use on their Macs? Safari, of course, but Firefox proved surprisingly popular, and an emphasis on privacy may account for several other unexpected deviations from global browser share numbers.

Adam Engst 100 comments

Do You Use It? Finder Tags

This week's Do You Use It? poll asks how often you use Finder tags, which are marking their tenth year of being part of the Mac experience.

Adam Engst 10 comments

Do You Use It? Finder Tags See Focused Use

The results of our poll asking how often you use Finder tags are in, and while tags aren’t broadly popular, being reminded of what they can do for you might encourage you to use them in appropriate situations.