If you would like to use Gmail as native app for your smartphone then you should buy Android. Of course, Gmail for iPhone (and iPad) is now available. There is no Gmail for Windows Phone, so no luck there.

When the app opens for the first time, I was surprised to see website-like user interface.

So I was thinking, I’m not joking, that this whole “app” is just a wrapper around the web app and in fact not much… but I was wrong! It works offline, and it can send photos as attachments and it can handle iOS notifications, so it is a full app and not merely a wrapper around a web app or web service.

Splash screen pretty much just shows Gmail (Google mail) icon.

Kind of boring to watch.

However when you open the app you get a view similar to when you are viewing Gmail via Safari Browser that can be viewed both in portrait and landscape orientation.

 

I was looking closely and I just have no idea how Google made this app – is it some HTML5 or more native stuff. Not that it matters much though.

You can include photos to this app as attachment (but not other file types yet).

The app handles notifications and shows them as badge on icon:

I tested notifications and I just got a sound, no pop-window and no slide-down thingy. Strange. So I went to Settings app, Notifications section and Gmail section to see this:

… which is less than in iOS5-enabled apps:

Speaking of settings, not much in the way of Settings for Gmail app in Settings app, just the ability to reset this app.

The app works offline – I tested it – and one can even write and send emails and browse old emails. But I failed to do offline search of emails.

iOS-typical gestures seem to work but I have the impression that swiping takes place from right to left not the other way that seems more natural to me:

Advantages:

- native app for Gmail that is official and made by Google itself

- notifications support

- sending attachments

- writing and reading emails offline

Disadvantages:

- no multiple accounts

- no iOS5-typical notifications

- can’t do multiple Gmail accounts

* * * * *

Conclusions

Lack of Gmail for Windows Phone is not a mystery that will never be solved. Probably Google doesn’t like Microsoft, and Windows Phone has a tiny market share. But now iOS users join Android users in having native, official, e-mail client from Google. Good times, good times for iPhone and iPad users – Gmail is yet another good reason to buy iPhone.

To get this app click here (available in USA but not all countries):
Gmail for iOS.

Share This

---

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•