Andy Walker / Android Authority
I’ve been a Gmail user for as long as I can remember, which is evident by the 1,607 unread emails that are currently in my account. And while I don’t blame Google for my lack of email organizational skills — although this was never an issue when Inbox was around — I still feel like the company could drastically improve the service with just a few simple tweaks.
My main issue is with the Android app, although most of my suggestions also apply to the web version. Here’s what I think the tech giant should change and why.
What's the most important thing in an email app for you? 15 votes Simplicity and speed 40 % Customizable features 27 % AI integration 7 % A modern look and feel 27 %
The ability to customize
Joe Maring / Android Authority
It’s funny how Google champions customization for Android but doesn’t adopt the same philosophy for Gmail. My main issue with the app is the bottom bar that takes up valuable space but only has two main buttons. The default one shows a list of emails I received, which is great. But the other one is all about Google Meet, letting me start or join a meeting. And here’s where I see a problem.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t use Meet a lot. And whenever I do, I don’t start a meeting from within Gmail, or join one for that matter. I get that Google is trying to push its service to get more users on board, but it seems silly to force it down everyone’s throat since most people don’t use it. And in any case, Google Meet has its own dedicated app, and while I see the logic for it being part of the Gmail app — to a point — highlighting it in the bottom bar is a waste of space.
Yes, I know you can technically disable that button, but most people don’t know that since it’s buried in the settings. What I’d like to see instead is that the bottom bar becomes customizable, so I could add a few buttons of my choice to it.
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