A significant redesign of the most popular email client was much needed. Alphabet Inc’s Google has finally unveiled today its first Gmail redesign since 2013. This brand new Gmail is equipped with better security features, email snoozing, nudging, offline functionality, and smart AI. Although Gmail (older version) was one of the most frequently used email services, it didn’t really stand out from the competition and this overhaul is likely to change that.
Google has announced the major Gmail update earlier this month and the company has been working on the overhaul since 2 years. To enable the new Gmail, log in to your Gmail account, click on the Setting cog icon on the top right corner of the page, and select Try the New Gmail. As of now, the new version won’t be available to all 1.4 billion Gmail users, so if you are not seeing the update option, keep checking it. You also have the freedom of rolling back to the classic style Gmail.
So What’s New In New Gmail?
Top of that list is enhanced privacy and security features. The ability to set expiration dates or revoke some email content and SMS authentication all are included in a Confidential mode. That’s highly important considering the increased awareness regarding data and privacy issues in the wake of Cambridge Analytica revelations.
Integrated Rights Management is a business-centric feature that allows you to block copying, forwarding, downloading or printing a particular message or email. The user can also use a two-factor authentication to secure emails wherein you can request the recipient to authenticate with a passcode received via text message to read the confidential email.
Some new tools and features in new Gmail will make interacting with emails and its contents a lot easier. Hovering over an email will get you a new menu which shows the most common interactions like – archive, mark as read, delete or snooze for later – without opening the email. The user can also see an email attachment without opening up the conversation.
Google has also enabled nudging of emails, meaning to say that the emails that require a time-sensitive action or the ones you have been putting off will resurface to be followed up. Also, Google is bringing smart reply options to Gmail on the web. The Google Inbox app already had the features of smart reply and snoozing but now Google has evidently shifted its focus to Gmail on the web.
The search engine giant has also brought about some substantial visual updates in the new Gmail. The revamped Gmail now comes with a collapsible panel on the right side which gives fast access to G Suite apps, including Google Calendar, Google Keep, and new Google Task. The side panel will let you organize meetings, take notes, and plan out your day. Google also released its Google Task mobile app on iOS and Android today. In addition, now the left side panel of Gmail can also be collapsed if you need more horizontal space for your emails.
New Gmail: Gunning For The Microsoft Market
Gmail’s extensive update is primarily aimed at business customers and G Suite users as Google seems desperate to outperform Microsoft Corp’s office workplace software suite which still leads in the segment. G Suite generated $2 billion in revenues last year, Office clocked more than 10 times of that. Especially for business users who need to travel a lot, Gmail will now support an offline mode. A feature similar to Microsoft’s Outlook.
The changes would be rolled out in G Suite and the free consumer version of Gmail as well. Google says the new changes will “help the more than 4 million paying businesses that use G Suite work safer, smarter and more efficiently.”
Jacob Bank, lead product manager for Gmail, said, “This is an entire rewrite of our flagship, most-used product”.
The new look of Gmail exhibits promising change with better productivity and safety.
