Google has detailed the latest update for Gmail. This update brings changes for the Gmail app on Android as well as on the web. Google is touting this update as being one that will add a bit of control to your inbox. The update will separate mail by type and it is arriving with a few pre-set categories such as Social, Promotions and Updates. This also appears to be based off those leaked screenshots we saw coming out of Google I/O.
If you notice the images sitting above, this Gmail for Android update brings the ability to swipe (and also tap the menu icon in the upper left corner), which is what we saw in those leaked images. More important today though, tapping that icon or swiping will reveal those new categories and your new inboxes.
Essentially, what we should have is an inbox that breaks things down and provides the email that is most important first. Pretty much, Google is giving you multiple inboxes and doing this all automatically. This goes back to Google talking about how it feels like our inboxes are controlling us. That aside, those using Gmail for Android will have the app launch to the Primary category, but those other categories will be easily available with a swipe or tap.
Otherwise, while we are pretty excited to check this out, there are those who fear change. Well, those who fear change and those who are probably more than sufficient with the current Gmail setup. That being the case, Google will be offering the option to switch this off allowing you to remain with your current setup.
As far as getting access, Google has said the Android release will arrive in the next few weeks and on the desktop side the new inbox will be rolling out gradually. There doesn’t appear to be any way to speed up the Android app release, however there is an option to speed things up on the desktop side. Those looking to begin playing now should be on the lookout for the gear menu and an option called “Configure inbox.”
SOURCE: Official Google Blog
Google.. please stop innovating.. I can’t keep up 🙂
That’s what she (apple) said.. mwhahah
Nice time in the screenshot…. 😉
Problem with this model is trying to shoehorn everyone’s emailing habits into preset categories. That’s the beauty of labels in Gmail – they are flexible. I’m no more interested in this than I was in the Multiple/Priority Inbox feature they added a while ago. I don’t get emails from G+ or YouTube because I just visit those services directly. I almost never get offers emails and when I do they are usually spam. And what does ‘Updates’ mean? It seems like a catch all for ‘everything else’, not very elegant.
I may give it a try, but I will probably end up turning this new feature off very quickly.
And will this update continue to force me to view my email as threaded messages? If so, I’ll continue to pass it by. The current Android Gmail app has threaded emails not actually part of the same conversation and prevented me from deleting any single email from within the thread. Cmon, Google, gimme the choice to either view my inbox as conversations (threaded messages) or separate messages which are sortable as I would like.
I dont see why they separated the Desktop rollout and the Android app update as their main demographic for this would be users who like to keep their inbox organised and have probably already got filters and labels to sort their mail automatically (like me) and wouldn’t really want the Desktop version looking different from the app as then when you delete all of your filters so that the mail gets filtered into the tabs set by Google the mail will arrive in your inbox normally on the app..
I think I am going to move back to the way my inbox was until I get the new app and then move back to the new inbox and then work everything out from there..
I also think that this would be a good thing for me as this would require me to go and have a look at the mail that I receive and decipher whether I should keep it or not..
I cannot delete the previous senders from emails on my Motorola Xoom. I bought a Xoom about a year ago and have gotten so frustrated with the functions, I put it in a drawer and went back to my IPad which is much more user friendly.
I hate emails that are forwarded to me with tons of previous recipients names in it.