Google has just unveiled one of its biggest updates to Gmail yet, adding numerous new productivity and security features to service's desktop and mobile apps. Let's take a closer look at the new additions:
1. Confidential Mode
This feature does what it says on the tin and aims to keep messages confidential. Google is rolling it out over the coming weeks, giving Gmail users access to advanced security features that were previously limited to corporate email systems like Microsoft Outlook. Users will be able to set expiry dates for specific emails, password-protect emails, unsend messages, and prevent others from forward, printing, copying or downloading sensitive messages.
Google adds that it has redesigned its built-in security warnings to alert users to possible threats, such as phishing. They have been designed to ensure more visibility and ease of understanding for the user.
2. My Tasks
My Tasks is a new to-do list service, which can be used as part of Gmail, or as a standalone app for both Android and iOS. Tasks integrates with your Gmail inbox and other Google services to give you the ability to pull in to-do list items seamlessly from your messages, as well as adding due dates to your calendar.
3. New shortcuts, addition of Smart Replies feature (Desktop)
Google Calendar has become much more accessible on a desktop computer thanks to the addition of a new side panel on the right-hand-side of the screen. What's more is that desktop inboxes will now have new shortcuts for archiving, snoozing and deleting messages. Attachments will also be directly accessible from the inbox view, so there's no need to open an individual email in order to view any attachments it has.
Smart Replies, a popular feature launched as part of the Inbox app back in 2015, is now also available on desktop. It uses artificial intelligence to generate short replies that are personalized to your habits. The feature has been available in the Gmail mobile app since last year, but it's now available on the web too.
4. High-priority notifications setting (Mobile)
This new setting is great if you happen to have an overflowing inbox because it limits notifications to just the most important messages. In addition, unsubscribing from mailing lists has now become a whole lot easier, with one-touch shortcuts to unsubscribe links being made available.
To opt in to the new version of Gmail, simply point to Settings ---> Try new Gmail to enjoy all the new features!
