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Google Cleans Up Gmail App With An All-White Redesign (engadget.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the new-and-improved dept.

While Gmail on the web was significantly redesigned last year, the app for Android and iOS stayed relatively unchanged, with the exception of an update last year that removed the bold colors in favor of an almost entirely white look. Engadget reports that a redesigned Gmail for mobile is starting to roll out today and it will be available to all Android and iOS users in the coming weeks. Engadget reports: Functionally, the new Gmail mobile app isn't wildly different than what came before. There's a button in the lower-right corner to compose a new email, just like before -- it's just white with a multi-colored "plus" sign, the same glyph that shows up in Gmail and Drive on the web. The iconic top red bar is now white, and the whole top area is a search bar; the old app required tapping a smaller target to get into search. Finally, there's a shortcut right to the account switcher on the main page. Previously, switching accounts required opening the sidebar, but now that option is front and center.

A few features that came to the web version of Gmail make their way to mobile today. Probably most recognizable is that attachment previews will show up below the messages, making it easier to both find messages with attachments and get a sense of the content. For those that prefer to see more messages, Google also has "comfortable" and "compact" density options that remove attachment previews and avatars, respectively. The large red phishing warnings that Gmail on the web shows also now show up in the app. Visually, it looks just like you'd expect if you've tried any of Google's recent mobile apps -- it's basically all white, with the new Google font throughout.

3 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. Modern UX design by ArhcAngel · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The current crop of UX designers seem to be following the philosophy of listen to what your audience wants and make sure to avoid that at all cost. We've gone from vivid intricate icons to stick figures in shades of grey!

    --
    "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
    1. Re:Modern UX design by Dutch+Gun · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's no good. I can still vaguely see some shapes of some controls, and there's an unsightly pile of black text to the left. The UX designers need to keep polishing until everything is a pure, beautiful, white form, unblemished by unsightly distractions.

      --
      Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
  2. Re:White? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "IT'S OKAY TO BE WHITE"

        -- Google, 2019