What you need to know
- Google has begun rolling out its integrated view for Gmail.
- The update will allow users to customize their experience while also adding apps like Chat, Spaces, and Meet to Gmail for easier access.
- Chat will see some new features, such as chat bubbles and a quick reply function.
- Users should see these updates come in the weeks ahead as Google rolls it out, but tablets will have to wait a little longer for a refined experience.
Google has brought in some updates to Gmail that should integrate with Meet, Chat, and Spaces.
Google's new update, unveiled earlier this year, seeks to provide an easy viewing experience across a few apps while never leaving Gmail. The company's new integrated Gmail experience begins with its Quick Settings. The gear icon at the top right will give users the option to customize what apps they'd like to appear in the new left sidebar. Google allows users to stick with Gmail as their primary experience or toss in Chat, Spaces, and Meet for easier access to these services.
There are also improvements to Gmail's labels, such as separate sections for standard labels like Starred, Snoozed, or Important. Users will also be to create custom labels moving forward.
Google has also made it a little easier to manage the chats you've got going on. Users should begin seeing conversation bubbles that display parts of the incoming message, as well as a quick reply option, which is very similar to Google Message's quick reply feature.
Aside from its interface work, Google is also improving the search capabilities of Gmail with this update. Search chips will now be available in your inbox for you to better refine and search through your emails to find what you're looking for. Google has also taken strides to improve the overall search function of Gmail to better serve your queries and find contacts.
Google began this integrated Gmail idea a year ago when it started rolling out Chat and Rooms tabs for Gmail. Google informs that over the coming weeks, users can enable this new integrated view using Gmail's new "visual configuration option" in their Settings. However, it will roll out automatically for users with Chat enabled.
Google also teased an updated Gmail experience for Android tablets. The company says the update for tablets will provide a better experience, emojis, new accessibility features, and other unnamed features and should come later in the year.
