The Iterative Web App: New Compose Interface for Gmail on iPad
Monday, June 21, 2010 | 7:56 AM
In April 2009, we announced a new version of Gmail for mobile for iOS and Android. Among the improvements was a complete redesign of the web application's underlying code which allows us to more rapidly develop and release new features that users have been asking for, as explained in our first post. We'd like to introduce The Iterative Web App, a series where we will continue to release features for Gmail for mobile. Today: New Compose Interface on the iPad.
Today we’re happy to announce an improved experience for writing emails on Gmail web interface for iPad. When you write an email you’ll now get a big full screen compose window instead of splitting the screen between your inbox and the compose view. More text is visible at once and there are no more distractions with messages on the side. We’ve also fixed problems that prevented scrolling on long messages. Thanks to everyone who reported the issue via the ‘Send feedback’ feature at the bottom of the screen.
We’re continuing to experiment with the large touchscreen and tablet form factor so send more feedback if you have suggestions. To try out Gmail on the iPad, just go to gmail.com in Safari. Please note that the new interface is only available in US English for now.
Posted by Craig Wilkinson, Software Engineer, Google Mobile
Labels: gmail for mobile, Interative web app, ipad, Mobile Blog
39 comments:
herbhalstead said...
That's pretty nice - but gmail works on the iPad... how about getting docs working on the iPad?
June 21, 2010 at 8:05 AM
Jim Lyons said...
What about it working on the new iPhone?
June 21, 2010 at 8:30 AM
Unknown said...
Nice work! Hey, will you guys chat with the Google Reader group please. :) Reader needs an iPad version ASAP.
June 21, 2010 at 8:41 AM
ChessMess said...
I really wish Google Reader worked better on the iPad.
June 21, 2010 at 8:43 AM
ledlow said...
I find that GReader works just fine using the url google.com/reader/i
I use this both on iPad and on my BlackBerry Bold.
June 21, 2010 at 8:53 AM
Luke Bornheimer said...
What does the new compose window look like in horizontal orientation?
June 21, 2010 at 9:19 AM
Tucker said...
I lol'd at the email from Scott Eblin about "turning off wi-fi".
June 21, 2010 at 9:29 AM
Unknown said...
I recently installed reeder, which is an app that syncs with google reader. Works pretty well for me.
June 21, 2010 at 9:34 AM
Unknown said...
Google Docs Please!!
June 21, 2010 at 9:42 AM
Unknown said...
Like half the previous comments are asking.. Please fix Reader for iPad! I LOVE reader.. but hate it on the iPad..
June 21, 2010 at 9:57 AM
barkingsheltie said...
More people use email that some of the other services, perhaps this is why more focus here.
Gmail for ipad definitely still a work in progress - inline html's don't work well. For me, replying to thread conversation brings up problems - some parts of the conversation cannot be accessed (less on iphone). Enough that for me gmail on ipad is not useful. Using mail.app for time being.
When u switch to desktop ver, performance drops down considerably. Anyone know why? Odd, since other sites not using flash seem to run quite well.
June 21, 2010 at 10:27 AM
Steve Cavrak said...
Yes, Google Docs and Wave !!!
June 21, 2010 at 10:54 AM
Unknown said...
For non-cheapskates that have $5, Reeder for iPad works great and syncs with Google RSS Reader.
June 21, 2010 at 11:28 AM
Unknown said...
Still needs keyboard support!
June 21, 2010 at 12:34 PM
Nick Smith said...
Hi, thanks for the update, it's made such a difference. However one last improvement would be the ability to change the from: email address through the mobile interface (it's in the desktop web app). Is this still possible? Thanks for an amazing app so far, better than unbuilt Mail (on iPad/iPhone) any day.
June 21, 2010 at 12:35 PM
Nathan said...
First, THANK YOU!
Secondly, - being able to use my Google Docs on my iPad would be AWESOME!
Thanks
June 21, 2010 at 12:52 PM
Rob said...
Yep, the iPad is great for reading. How crazy is it that the Google Reader isn't? Get that fixed not now but right now. How did creating emails, the worst thing to do on an iPad, make the list before fixing Reader???
June 21, 2010 at 1:56 PM
Unknown said...
When will we be able to access all of those nifty new Google WebFonts across all of Google's own applications? I'd love to use some of them in Gmail and Docs.
June 21, 2010 at 2:01 PM
mattceni said...
what about Chat? a better notification of new IMs would be good.
June 21, 2010 at 2:56 PM
Divergent Learner said...
I like the gmail for ipad Safari page, but am hoping that it will be updated to allow:
1. Toggle on/off the scrollabld unread email list on the left to allow a full screen for viewing emails, especially those with images
2. A way to turn image view on for individual emails, to avoid having to return to the regular Gmail client to do so.
3. Have more control over searching and creating filters
Thanks
June 21, 2010 at 4:10 PM
raluke said...
We need working access to Google Docs. Google Docs is what you want to work on. You want to deploy iPad access to Google Docs. Google Gocs. Google Docs. Google Docs.
GOOGLE DOCS!
June 21, 2010 at 4:48 PM
David Frum said...
Guys, please give me a new google superphone with no carrier interference. The trackball and wireless issues on the N1 plus the screen in sunlight are keeping me from getting one. I want something without any sense/motoblur crap and that is kept current.
June 21, 2010 at 7:06 PM
kj said...
June 21, 2010 at 11:17 PM
kj said...
i enjoy reading this post.
hitesh joshi
http://hiteshjoshi.com
June 21, 2010 at 11:21 PM
Unknown said...
Hello friends,
I am using GMail on iPad's safari from Spain and I tell you, it is not formatted nor optimized at all and don't know what to do to get the iPad optimized layout. I guess it is all a region related issue but I would like to know if there's any way to solve it. Thanks so much, hope it made any sense! P.S. What about creating some ipad.gmail.com link?
June 22, 2010 at 8:32 AM
Unknown said...
Could someone tell me how they make the keyboard appear on the iPad when you go into the compose window.
I've been trying to make a webpage of mine do that, the javascript is pretty heavy, so I'm having difficulty spotting it.
June 22, 2010 at 11:52 AM
Denise said...
Hope this solves the no "tasks" on iPad problem, assume it will. Thanks!
June 22, 2010 at 4:27 PM
Petr Faitl said...
I'd like to add to the general sentiment that functioning docs would be amazing!
Second plea, please enable reading pane as per iPad on standard pc/Mac. With 24inch real estate there is plenty of potential on my computer.
June 22, 2010 at 9:25 PM
Unknown said...
Well done gmail team. When can we use the English (UK) version? Keep the area free from encroaching dross please - we can always choose to see it using your tabs.
June 23, 2010 at 6:45 AM
Tom Ibbotson said...
Great the iPad comes along and finally GMail decide to support a tablet style screen. Do they realise tablets have been around for years already? I've had my tablet PC for 4 years, and GMail has always been awful to use in tablet mode. Will this update to GMail be available for anything other than the iPad? Or will I have to make my browser pretend to be and iPad?
June 23, 2010 at 8:07 AM
Bruce Krulwich said...
Why is this only for iPad? It looks like it would be much better on the iPhone as well.
June 23, 2010 at 9:18 AM
Unknown said...
Is this just on my device, or does it just work slowly when you type? What is the impression of other iPad users?
June 23, 2010 at 12:59 PM
Unknown said...
we ipad'ers thank you,
if you could allow inbox emails to be displayed in full screan in a simmilar way that would be even better, half a screen is often to small to display emails, especially emails with pics like the iStore receipts that i often get.
June 23, 2010 at 4:50 PM
Unknown said...
Although it seems like a nice idea, I have noticed that the new "Compose Message" is kind of slow.
To the point that I have to wait one or two seconds to start writing, otherwise, my first 1 to 3 letters won't be picked up :(. Hope this is fixed soon. :)
June 24, 2010 at 7:35 AM
Unknown said...
@M: I have exactly the same feelings about this. Lately we've been testing some of the capabilities of HTML5 and javascript on iPad, and they all seem to have issues with efficiency on the device. The only reasonable solution I found, was here: http://mir.aculo.us/2010/06/04/making-an-ipad-html5-app-making-it-really-fast/
June 24, 2010 at 7:56 AM
Alfonso Castillo said...
Whats the poing of doing SO MANY improvements to the Web Apps instead of doing real apps for working on iPhones and iPads... like latitude and an official GTALK for iPhone???
I understand the "war" between Apple and Google but with so many apps mising for iPhone youre not gaining anything.
June 24, 2010 at 3:27 PM
Julemanden said...
Good job thanks - but as others have mentioned. Google Docs please!
June 25, 2010 at 12:03 AM
Jeff Zimmerman, Ph.D. said...
June 28, 2010 at 4:37 PM
Jeff Zimmerman, Ph.D. said...
June 28, 2010 at 4:38 PM
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