The Google Inbox app stops in March 2019

Google is folding to the inevitable and closes Inbox messaging app, although users have until March to switch to Gmail. It's a bit sad for fans of the app, but it's not a big surprise.

Almost exactly four years ago, Google launched Inbox as a new, innovative email application that coexisted with Gmail. He brought a ton of new ideas on how email could work, including old solutions such as snoozing and new ideas like bundling. During these four years, Inbox has recruited a small number of members who have undergone too few updates in order to benefit from a better (or at least different) messaging experience.

Many of the features in Inbox were highly appreciated, mainly because they obviously lacked Gmail without resorting to third-party solutions. Inbox provided a way to manage the impact of emails with gestures that made it easier to process messages while on the move. He was also generally seen as a potential incubator for new email features that could enter Gmail – even though, in practice, Inbox did not see enough updates to justify its reputation as a test center.

I will especially miss the fact that the inbox has done such a good job of integrating tasks with emails. Being able to create reminders that appeared online with emails and could be managed with exactly the same set of tools for snoozing and archiving was extremely helpful.

In April of this year, Google released a complete redesign of Gmail incorporating almost all the key features of the inbox: snoozing, connected task lists (though in a sidebar), and so on. If users did not see the writing on the wall with this version, the long iPhone X compatibility delay with Inbox was another sign.

Google says that there are still some features related to the migration from the inbox, especially the bundles of similar e-mails in one block, such as those related to a single trip. This happens on Gmail, but there is no word on the timeline yet.

All in all, it's probably good that Google focuses on an application for email: Gmail. It was said that no employee would be fired by the Inbox team, which was already well integrated with the Gmail team. Yet, the surprising end is a bit bittersweet. As an app application, Inbox has put together some good ideas to reduce the burden of email by giving the app a more entertaining and interesting user interface. Email will always be a chore. Sorry.