Gmail takes inspiration from Instagram, Snapchat; welcome disappearing e-mails

Gmail, a mail service that most of us use daily but one that has been looking the same since almost five years. Google has finally updated the Gmail for more functionality and slightly better visual appeal. The company has made it official that its e-mail application has undergone a major transformation. The redesigned Gmail for web consists of a snooze button as well as confidential mode, features like smart replies and many more. The new Gmail for the web resembles the Gmail mobile app.

It seems Google has taken cues from popular social media applications like Instagram and Snapchat to introduce dissapearing messages. Gmail now allows the sender to set a deadline for the mail which means that the receiver would not be able to see the mail after a couple of days or weeks.

Another update is the inclusion of a confidential mode. In this new update, the confidential mode allows the sender to remove the option of downloading, copying, printing of e-mails and messages for the receiver. The sender can choose this option if the mail is classified or sensitive in nature.

Gmail’s lead product manager Jacob Bank said that the new version of Gmail will allow the users to have access to attachments right from the inbox without opening the mail. The new snooze button feature allows you to put off the e-mails that you don’t want to read at that point of time. In case you forget to reply to the mail, the new Gmail will nudge you with reminders related to that unanswered mail.

The Smart Reply feature which was once available only on the Gmail mobile app will now be available on the web version too. Apart from these new features, Google is also bringing certain features for the mobile application such as notifications of high priority that will remind you of important e-mails. Gmail will also give you suggestions related to unsubscribing irrelevant offers and newsletters.

Jacob Bank further added, “The redesign was done with an eye on making people more productive and safe.” These new features in Gmail are some of the massive transformations for the users both on web and mobile. The new update will start rolling out to most users in the coming weeks.

Courtesy: BusinessToday.In