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The Gmail Offline Chrome app will disappear after December 3rd
Offline access to our Gmail is a feature that has come, gone and changed before, and 2018 will be no different. While Google's announcement Wednesday that it will pull the plug on Inbox got a lot of the attention, it also revealed that the old Gmail Offline Chrome app would be pulled after December 3rd. For an alternative, Google has prepared a native offline experience in its recent redesign of Gmail that syncs up to 90 days of emails and keeps everything listed in the same familiar interface. That means if you want offline access (useful for flights or other locations that combine dodgy WiFi with a possible need to pull up old messages) you will have to switch to the new experience -- we hope you like it.
Google brings iOS Gmail app's interface to the mobile web and Gmail Offline
Google had a very warm reception to the improved search and overall sleeker UI in Gmail 2.0 for iOS -- warm enough, in fact, that it's spreading the redesign work to its web apps. Both the mobile web app and Gmail Offline now share the same basic look as the iOS port as well as its search and Google Calendar integration. There's no sign of the interface reaching Android's native client, but those who eschew native apps on Android, BlackBerry, Chrome and iOS can get a taste of what they've been missing in the past few months.
Google's new Gmail mobile web app sports offline message caching, lots of floaty goodness
If you've been losing sleep in eager anticipation of the new Gmail for mobile, rest assured that you'll sleep soundly tonight. With support for both Android phones and iPhone / iPod Touch OS 2.2.1, the gang over at the Google mobile blog are justifiably proud of the new app. Expect nothing less than a more robust cache that utilizes Gears (for Android) and SQLite databases (for iPhones / touches) to allow you to compose messages and access recently read messages without a network connection, an improved look and feel, and the all new "floaty bar" (their name, not ours) that keeps popular menu commands from scrolling off screen, as this bad boy rolls out progressively over the course of the day. Most interestingly, using the new Gmail on your devices doesn't require any tweaks or installs -- it's utilizing HTML5 (and its offline storage APIs) already present in the browser. Google is just turning on the juice behind the scenes. And for those of you who are resistant to change, fear not -- the previous version is still available. Check it out for yourself over at gmail.com, but not before peeping that super-sweet video after the break.
Google demos offline Gmail for iPhone, Android at MWC
If you were thinking offline Gmail on your desktop was the greatest thing since sliced bread, prepare yourselves people. If an MWC keynote from Google's VP of engineering, Vic Gundotra, is any indication, the same functionality might be coming soon to an iPhone / Android phone near you. Amongst other things, the souped up web app boasts an overhauled interface, supports labels, and of course, offline access. Despite our own hunch that Google's just using black magic and voodoo to make this happen, Gundotra claims that it's all made possible through HTML5 standards -- AppCache being the biggie. This development certainly opens the doors to more offline-enabled web apps in the future -- Docs, anyone?. Of course, we know Apple has a thing about people messing with its own apps, so it's probably going to take some time / knee-breaking to get them to come around, but for some reason, we don't think it'll take as long with Android. There's a demo video available after the break, and please, try to contain yourselves.
