Google just updated Gmail for iOS
Gmail for iOS is getting a big revamp today in what Google calls “the biggest overhaul of the app in nearly four years.” While it’s largely an aesthetic change, there are a few interesting new features to note.
First up, that new look: it’s a lot more like the Android app, with ample use of red for a more Material Design.
Feature-wise, the main addition is Undo Send, which means you now have a life-saver for those times you email the wrong person and notice immediately after.
While it’s nice to see Google updating one of their biggest apps on iOS and adding the option to undo send, I’ve noticed a handful of issues and features that appear to be either missing from the previous version of the app or from the Android version.
These include being able to toggle sender images on and off (currently always on) and, much more importantly, force images to display in emails. While you were prompted at the top of the incoming email in the previous version, that option is missing in the new Gmail app which has left me with empty or broken emails on more than one occasion. Another issue I’ve been having is being constantly routed through the “unread” inbox. I never use that. Just show me everything when I open the app, read or not.
This is a much needed step in the right direction for the Gmail app but it looks like it’ll be a while before it replaces a much more feature-rich and stable experience you’ll get from something like Spark for iPhone or even bring it back on par with the previous version in terms of reliability.