A First Look at Google Inbox: Will it Really Replace Gmail?

What is Inbox by Gmail ?

Google Inbox is a new system that effectively runs on top of Gmail, but is designed to make the email system work harder and smarter for Gmail users. The biggest difference is that the app experience is expected to be the same as the desktop experience.

Google says that Inbox will be its own creation, taking all of the lessons learned from Gmail and starting fresh. Gmail will still exist for users who do not wish to use Inbox – at least for now.

For users who wish to make the jump, it’s very simple. Since it runs in sync with Gmail everything is ported over seamlessly.

The “New” Features

Google has already introduced some of the elements of Inbox into Gmail. Features like tabs for different types of messages like marketing emails have been in use for some time now. However, there are some features that have piqued my interest for certain, and seem to be those earlier attempts perfected in several cases.

Bundles

Similar to the tabs feature that was introduced into Gmail’s new interface a few months ago, the Bundles system compiles emails from marketers, emails relating to travel purchases such as car rental or hotel and flight information, and even gives users the ability to create their own bundles – a feature that was distinctly lacking in Gmail.

Highlights

The highlights feature is almost like a message preview pane, but takes the most pertinent information from the message and displays it intelligently. Imagine, if you will, a person who has purchased tickets for a flight to Puerto Rico to visit family. That person would very quickly be able to ascertain the necessary flight information from the confirmation message the airline sent all without even opening the message.

The highlights feature even compiles images for easy viewing in a preview gallery and can display pertinent details of your dinner reservations.

Reminders

The new reminders system is truly remarkable. It is capable of understanding what you are trying to accomplish, suggesting what steps need to be completed to get it done, and then compiling that information and any related messages into one, clean interface.

Hit the Snooze Button

Nothing is more frustrating for senders and recipients than dealing with an email “later.” The person who sent the message frequently gets forgotten on the back burner, and the person who received it can overlook a saved message far too easily. The snooze option changes that completely, and in a very cool way. You will now be able to set a reminder for yourself on a message you’ve received so you can act at a more appropriate time. There will be no need to try to remember, then search out that email that may be several days late.

Decision Point

Is Inbox something you should look into? Perhaps. If you are like me and you occasionally forget to follow up on an email, or just really want the most valuable information quickly, then yes, Inbox might just be the perfect fit. If you don’t want to make the jump, or just prefer to use email the way it has always been, then you (currently) will be able to stay with Gmail.

The team at Synapse is always trying to stay ahead of the curve, especially with industry shifting organizations like Google. Start a conversation today and see how you can benefit from working with a marketing agency that constantly works to be ahead of the curve.