For the past year, Google's Gmail app for Android has allowed users to access third-party email accounts such as those from Yahoo or Outlook. Now, the company has launched a new feature that will bring even more Gmail features to users who don't want to do go through the hassle of creating a new email address.
Gmail provides users with an organized inbox that categorizes email into sections that include Updates, Purchases and Social. Its swipe functionality also allows users to quickly delete unimportant messages so they can clear up their inbox when on the go. Gmail also features spam protection, using an artificial neural network that detects and blocks these types of messages. Each time a user hits "Report spam," they enable the email platform to get smarter at filtering. These are some attractive features for those looking for a more organized and protected inbox.
The new feature for the Gmail app on Android, called Gmailify, brings Yahoo, Hotmail and Outlook.com users the ability to use all of Gmail's best features without having to actually have an @gmail address.
That's right, users can keep their existing email addresses and still use features that include inbox organization with automatic sorting into categories, powerful spam protection, faster search, better mail notification on mobile devices, Google Now cards for travel and hotel reservations and of course, all email will be located in a centralized place.
To "Gmailify" existing email addresses, simply open the Gmail app, touch on the Menu and tap on Settings. The user will then be able to tap on the non-Gmail account they wish to link.
There is also the option to unlink accounts at any time, while still having access to them in the Gmail app but without the Gmailify feature.
Google launched Gmailify today with version 5.11 of its app in the Play Store, and said it has plans to add other email providers to support this feature in the future.
The new Android app feature comes after the company recently launched new features to increase safety for its Gmail users on the Web. These include sending alerts if the user is about to receive a message from or send a message to a recipient with an unsecured connection. The alert is displayed as a broken lock icon that will appear in the upper right-hand section of the email. Profile photos will also feature a question mark now when their avatar cannot be authenticated.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed that its email service now has a billion monthly active users.
Check out the new Gmailify feature in the video below.
Source: Gmail Blog
