Google abandons the Gmail Offline Chrome app as of December 3

Google announced today the removal of its Gmail Offline Chrome app from the Chrome Web Store "after" on December 3, 2018.

The internet giant first launched the Gmail Offline app for Chrome in 2011, allowing Gmail users to read and search their offline emails, and reply to messages – even if e-mails are not restored. However, last April, Google announced a major upgrade that paved the way for native offline access via the Gmail main web application. By the time the Gmail Chrome app stopped working, the company revealed that it recommended all users to uninstall it and instead use the native Offline feature.

"This native feature is easier to use and delivers better results than the Gmail Offline Chrome app. We remove it from the Chrome Web Store after December 3, 2018, "said the company.

In addition, Google revealed in 2016 that it planned to remove its desktop platform Chrome apps in early 2018, although it is clear that this delay was somewhat prolonged, given that Gmail Offline is always available for installation.

In summary, if you want to continue to access Gmail offline, you must enable the "Enable offline mail" feature in your settings. And G Suite users will need to make sure their company activates the feature through the Admin console.

Above: Offline Gmail: Enable

It's unclear if Gmail Offline for Chrome will still work for those who have already installed it after removing it from the Web Store, but even if it does, it's clear that Google has only one goal : G Suite users or consumers using the Chrome app longer, and you will eventually be forced to use the native feature on the web.

In addition, the native offline functionality of Gmail still only works in Chrome. Therefore, if you use Firefox or another browser, you will still not be able to use this feature.

The latest lapse comes shortly after Google revealed that it was killing its beloved Inbox Gmail application, used by the company to test new features among the first users. Google has announced its intention to focus all its efforts on its basic Gmail application.