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Gmail for Android updates to allow replies from notifications

Google is rolling out a new update for its Gmail app for Android that has a little something for users of all versions of the platform. The new app, says Gmail

Nishtha Kanal|Mar 19, 2013, 09:43:06 IST

Google is rolling out a new update for its Gmail app for Android that has a little something for users of all versions of the platform. The new app, says Gmail is now faster when it comes to online and offline searches besides being loaded with great new features.

If you’re an Android version 4.1 Jelly Bean and up user, Gmail’s new update will enable you to archive and reply to emails directly from your notifications. In its blog post announcing the new feature, Gmail said that you can tweak your settings to make this feature work better.

“You can combine this with existing notification features like the ability to customize which messages you receive notifications for and set up different sounds for individual labels. So if you filter and label all the messages from your mom, you could set a ringtone to let you know you received a new mail from her and then quickly reply (because we know what can happen when you ignore your mother!),” the post read.

Reply and Archive right from the notifications drawer

For devices running Android version 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and up, this Gmail update will provide for faster search, even when you’re offline and for Android version 2.2 and up, new Labels API for third party app developers will be available. All of this is a part of the new Gmail for Android update besides the usual bug fixes and performance improvement tweak to the app.

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This new update shows how Google is gunning to make its email app picture perfect. Only earlier last week, Google rolled out a spanking new, refreshed Gmail on mobile web and Gmail Offline app. The new update is designed to look like Gmail for iOS app, a design that a lot of users like and appreciate, said the company.

While Google did not elaborate on what exactly had been changed beside the look and feel of the page, it said that that the Gmail app revamp for iPhone and iPad from December last year formed the basis of this change. A couple of the most important aspects of the iOS facelift involved improved search and integration with Google Calendar that Google made a part of this revamp.

The new look for Gmail on your phone browsers doles out copious amounts of whitespace, larger fonts and a cleaner interface. Searching for mails on your phone has been made easier too with autocomplete aiding your search. It is also now possible to RSVP to Calendar invites faster. The new look has already been rolled out to Android, iOS, BlackBerry and Kindle Fire devices.

Gmail Offline app for Chrome too will get a refresh, even though the update does not seem to have made its way into Chrome Web Store yet. The widescreen version of the phone app will work offline and give a two panel view of your inbox.

You can grab hold of the Gmail for Android app update from the Google Play store here.

By Nishtha Kanal

Intrigued by all things social, Nishtha will invariably tweet about you. When not tweeting or writing about the next viral video, you will hear her proclaiming her love to Metallica, James Hetfield, Opeth, Akerfeldt and all bands that go 'growl'. She also obsesses about ACP Pradyuman and South Park and you will always find her moving around with a book. Her focus is on all the happening stuff in the tech domain, and she won't hesitate to take a shot at some of the oddball devices that make their way to our labs.