What’s not “normal” about the files and why do most people need access to the file system and not a method to share files across apps that’s already available?
How do you know you have the right application to open the file? I have tried at least a dozen apps to open *.stl files... some work, most don't. Some have features I need and don't work opening files. Some are sensitive to stl's that require repair and stop working... and I could go on and on for different file types. The point is; sharing isn't "guaranteed" to work across apps and is generally far, far from "it just works". You have almost zero control over the actual files because there might not be a way to save different formats from the app you are using, or the files app doesn't recognize the extension, or you can't find the folder for the other app, or it doesn't have a user accessible folder, or it will not load files from the "files app"... or <insert 50000 more "what if's here>. The whole things just sucks so, so bad.
And how do you know a Word file will work seamlessly across other word processors on a computer that are suppose to read Word files or export to Word? What modern productivity software doesn’t support using the Files app? It has been around for well over a decade.
On your computer, do you inspect the details of a file using Explorer? On the Mac do you do that with the Finder. Or do you actually open the file with an application?
Do you expect to use Windows explorer or the Finder to “convert file types”?
Using iOS 26 on my phone, I held down a file and there is an “Open With” option that gave me a choice of how to open the file.
Across applications? Applications these days save files using the File dialog, they may by default store them in a folder accesible by Files. Yes I know some apps still store their data in their own sandbox. But that’s not the case generally for standard productivity apps.
If I need to know the details of a file (eg file extension, size, location, etc) I generally use the Finder for that, yes.
I do frequently convert file types through the Finder. Bulk converting a bunch of photos, for example, is easier to do through a file browser. Even if I were opening a different app to do that, a standard file browser would be the interface I would want for that.
It’s great if more iOS applications are storing files as regular files on the filesystem now. Apple should have encouraged that in the first place. There was some goofy notion they were going to get rid of the idea of “files” with iOS, but that’s not actually a good idea.
Do you use "files"? Its garbargio on steroids. You can't just open a <insert about 100 file extensions here> file from the files app. Moving files around is cumbersome at best and downright infuriating most of the time. The "sandbox" nature of iOS is simply not intuitive enough to know how things will react when you move and try to open a file in another app. It just sucks so bad.
Furthermore, "sharing" is broken. Does it copy the file? Does it move the file? Am I duplicating this 200mb pdf when I move it to books? How the ____ do I know? There is a dearth of information and I imagine most people, like myself, give up and use it to read before bed or watch a few videos on the couch. I am never going to by another iPad until the OS is useful beyond drawing, creating music or reading.
You can’t open random file extensions on a computer either unless you have an application that understand the format.
Moving files around works just like on Windows and Macs - cut and paste.
And it has the same semantics as Windows and Macs - if I drag a file from one place to another on the same drive - it moves it. If I drag it to another storage location - ie another hard drive on a computer or another storage provider in Files - iCloud, Google Drive, etc it copies it.
It never ceases to amaze me that when computer “experts” criticize people for not wanting to learn how things work - do the same.
