The App Store has been around for more than three years now and Google is finally on the verge of releasing a native iOS app for its Gmail service, according to a new report. M.G. Seigler noted in a recent blog post that “multiple sources” have told him the launch of the application is imminent and should be released in the near future, with belief of passing Apple’s app review.
Seigler continued to discuss how the app looks “pretty fantastic…perhaps even surprisingly so.” One of the key features that this app would provide is the addition of push notifications for the email service. Other features are likely to include Priority Inbox and one-click starring of messages according to him. It was also speculated that upcoming Gmail features such as “contact icons, better threading, deep search functionality,” and even Google+ integration seem likely to make their way into the iOS application.
Even though Apple’s App Store has been around since 2008, Google has stuck to using a web interface for Gmail on the iOS platform. The native Mail app found in the iOS platform has supported Gmail accounts for several years now but it seems to lack the number of features that Google offers via the web app. There has been a number of reasons that the Gmail app has been delayed. It was previously suggested that Apple was blocking third-party mail apps to avoid confusion with the native Mail app. Google also seems to favor web apps for its services, which could be another reason. Furthermore, there has been friction between Apple and Google over the Android operating system, which has been claimed to be another reason for the delay. In the recently released biography of Steve Jobs, he even vowed to “destroy Android” after HTC released an Android smartphone that he felt stole Apple’s innovations. All of which are pretty good reasons in hindsight for not wanting to implement the native iOS app (in some sense).
None the less, the Gmail app seems to be ready and on the verge of pending acceptance into the App Store. It seems that Apple and Google are finally trying to cooperate or at the very least, putting consumer convenience ahead of constant rivalry. Is it something you think you’ll be using? Are you excited for the release? Share your thoughts and comments below!
Source: ParisLemon (M.G Seigler's Blog)
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