iPhone users recently received a treat from Google, an iOS widget for Gmail that might be worth using. Widgets are, of course, meant to be great time-saving displays of information from installed apps. The classic is a weather display, but any app can have a widget to provide an at-a-glance look at what is new, and a growing number have added this feature. Unfortunately, some widgets are little more than large icons, and this was the case with the Gmail widget for quite some time.
Most people are familiar with Gmail, the free email service provided by Google. Initially launched in 2004, Gmail quickly became one of the most popular web-based email solutions, offering much faster load time and more reliable service than Yahoo Mail or Hotmail. In addition, Gmail is remarkably customizable and even allows importing email from other accounts, making it possible to receive emails from various services with a single login to Google from any browser. Google makes Gmail apps for both iPhone and Android.
The latest Gmail update for the iPhone added a new type of widget that was teased several months earlier. There are two options in the iOS widget gallery in the latest version. The original widget is still available but isn't helpful, mainly providing a slightly quicker way to launch Gmail directly into the search field. The new version is much better, actually revealing emails in the widget. Unfortunately, there is only one size available, occupying two entire rows. That allows the subject lines of the last three emails to be displayed, along with a compose button. Tapping any email subject line will open the app with that email displayed, or touching the compose button starts a new email. Hopefully, a larger widget will become available in the future to allow more emails to be seen at once. A scrolling option would be a significant improvement as well.
How To Add The iPhone Gmail Widget
The iPhone now allows widgets on any Home Screen page. Before adding the Gmail widget, the user must install the associated app, and the latest version is needed to see the new widget option. After installing or updating, the user can press and hold the Home Screen background until app icons shake. That indicates edit mode and allows users to drag icons and widgets around or delete them. Tapping the plus symbol in the upper left corner will open the widget gallery. With a quick scroll or search, the Gmail widget can be found.
The original widget shows a search field, compose button, and the number of unread messages which busy users will see as '99+ unread.' There appears to be plenty of space to expand to read '9,999 unread,' but for some reason, anything over 99 adds the plus symbol. The new widget shows three emails, which is much better, but there is still room for improvement. Unfortunately, Google has limited control over what is possible with iPhone widgets, and it probably won't ever be as full-featured as the Gmail widget on Android.
Source: Apple App Store, Google