Google updates Gmail for iOS to fit larger screen on Apple iPhone 5

posted by Alan F. / Sep 30, 2012, 11:57 AM

Google updates Gmail for iOS to fit larger screen on Apple iPhone 5

Screenshot of Gmail for iOS

With the new,larger 4 inch screen on the Apple iPhone 5 comes a number of changes that must be made for apps to accommodate the larger real estate on the display. We recently saw video streaming service Netflix offer such an update and now it is Apple's arch rival Google optimizing an app for the Apple iPhone 5.

Those Apple iPhone 5 users who love Gmail will be happy to hear that it has been updated for the 4 inch display. The update is available right now at the Apple App Store. Not only does it let you read and write using the highly regarded service, and also allows for push notification of new mail.

Yes, there are many iOS users who prefer Gmail over the native mail application on iOS devices. The app now also supports CardDev, an open protocol for contact syncing. With this new service you can edit, add, and remove contacts from your device and keep them in sync everywhere you use them.

source: AppStore via MacRumors

FEATURED VIDEO

Options

33 Comments

1. PapaSmurf

Posts: 10457; Member since: May 14, 2012

Its going to take awhile for devs to update their apps to the new 4" screen. Good job on Google's part.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 12:02 PM 6

8. PhenomFaz

Posts: 1236; Member since: Sep 26, 2012

Ultimately its only Google who comes to the rescue of shameless Rotten Apple!

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 1:09 PM 8

17. Non_Sequitur

Posts: 1111; Member since: Mar 16, 2012

Dude, come on.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 3:33 PM 0

21. PhenomFaz

Posts: 1236; Member since: Sep 26, 2012

dude what? Its true! they released youtube app even when apple shelved it for their customers, they updated their mail app for that dumb-ass tv-remote like screen and they are providing maps through browsers! If apple had sense they would give their peeps the services of google which their customers like like maps, youtube and stuff! But instead they just went ahead and had to be a proud, narcisstic biy@ch about it! They shot themselves in their own foot! I think google should stop all their services for a little while that have been shelved by apple so that apple can be taught a lesson by its own customers! Tell me what i said is not true.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 4:26 PM 2

23. Non_Sequitur

Posts: 1111; Member since: Mar 16, 2012

It is true, but there is so much trolling on every article these days. It's kind of annoying.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 4:58 PM 0

30. PhenomFaz

Posts: 1236; Member since: Sep 26, 2012

I feel where you are coming from...i really do. but its not trollin if its the truth and moreover isn't it our (tech blog) community's job to say it as it is? Believe me pal read any of my other posts on any article...I say it as it is and believe it or not I have praised Rotten Apple and given them where credit is due because honestly they deserved it. As for calling them Rotten Apple...there's no harm in havin a little fun my friend :)

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 7:01 PM 1

32. Non_Sequitur

Posts: 1111; Member since: Mar 16, 2012

Yeah, alright...

posted on Oct 01, 2012, 4:33 AM 0

12. PAPINYC

Posts: 2315; Member since: Jul 30, 2011

It probably won't take as long as you think for other developers to update their iOS apps' considering it's just about a 2% change in screen size.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 3:00 PM 0

14. Lucas777

Posts: 2137; Member since: Jan 06, 2011

i dont think so… a lot of apps are already updated… apple released a sizing tool that makes it easier-- i would expect the games to be the only ones that take a while

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 3:04 PM 0

2. PapaSmurf

Posts: 10457; Member since: May 14, 2012

Oh and I forgot to mention, Gmail app is 2x better on 4.0+. :)

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 12:03 PM 8

4. kartik4u98

Posts: 511; Member since: May 19, 2012

Right..gmail app on gingerbread sucked..!

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 12:09 PM 8

13. PAPINYC

Posts: 2315; Member since: Jul 30, 2011

lol... good one.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 3:01 PM 0

3. kartik4u98

Posts: 511; Member since: May 19, 2012

"There are many iOS users who prefer Gmail over the native mail application on iOS devices." Hmm..iFans like things other than the ones invented by their master ApPLe !!

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 12:08 PM 1

5. PapaSmurf

Posts: 10457; Member since: May 14, 2012

I prefer Google's services over Apple's. Why? Simplicity, they're more polished, and have way more features.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 12:16 PM 6

6. kartik4u98

Posts: 511; Member since: May 19, 2012

Me too..But who''l help iFans to help them understand that Rotten Apple is really RoTTEN!!!

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 12:30 PM 3

7. gregoryyy3 unregistered

You seriously sound so dumb calling iPhone users basically stupid. You may not like apple but we do like our devices so I don't get why that bugs you so much? Maybe because you're so insecure about the software on your buggy phone that you try and find every little flaw in iOS? Just stop. You're really just making yourself sound like an idiot and ignorant.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 1:03 PM 3

9. Berzerk000

Posts: 4275; Member since: Jun 26, 2011

Just like how you're being idiotic for saying that Android users are insecure, and insulting the OS we use by calling it buggy, which was only true maybe 2 years ago. It's not that iOS users are stupid, it's that one of the main arguments for them to not switch to Android is that it's "too complicated," which makes them vulnerable to insults on their knowledge of how to actually work a phone, what seems to be a basis task. Though it is wrong to call, or allude to them being stupid, the way they phrase it makes it sound like they are. iOS brings a simple way to do everyday tasks, and people enjoy that, but it does lack the overall functionality that Android has. Also, after keeping the same basic UI its had for about 6 years, it's getting stale. People don't really buy iOS products because it is a superior OS to Android, they buy it because of popularity. I can bet that if everyone who wanted to buy an iPhone actually went out and tried WP or Android, there would be a huge dent in Apple's market share. I'm guessing maybe about 20% of iPhone users actually buy it for iOS, and not just because "it's an iPhone." Just by making that one comment, you made yourself seems as ignorant and idiotic as he was. Good job on the hypocrisy.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 1:26 PM 6

11. ZEUS.the.thunder.god unregistered

+1 for you.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 2:34 PM 0

15. Lucas777

Posts: 2137; Member since: Jan 06, 2011

few buy an iphone because it has the "cool" factor anymore… the marketshare saturated that… phones like the lumia 900 look and are way cooler it is because the iphone fits exactly what many people want.. it works well and does everything swiftly and reliably.. for the people who want to get things done ios (and wp) is best… I got an android phone and it separated my email into two different apps.. extremely annoying… and it was even more annoying to have to try and find a third party email that i liked which brought all of my email together… the gmail app was great, but the other one sucked, which compares to apple which has all of the email together in an extremely nice app (no not every function is included like in the gmail app, but i have never found anything i needed that was missing).. I hate how android forces gmail into being the predominant email

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 3:11 PM 0

16. Berzerk000

Posts: 4275; Member since: Jun 26, 2011

Are you kidding? Everyone who buys the iPhone buys it because of its popularity. And then they base their stance against Android on 2 year old devices that aren't even indicative to today's lineup. Nobody actually goes out and sees what other offers there are except for a very small portion of consumers. You can do the same things on Android that you can on iOS and WP, if not more, just as easily. I never really liked the iOS mail app, it got annoying somehow. But yes, I agree that Google should have a native app that supports all email accounts, and not just gmail.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 3:25 PM 2

18. Lucas777

Posts: 2137; Member since: Jan 06, 2011

uh I use an iphone and i have tried android and wp as well… but yes most people get an iphone because they know it suits them and they dont have the luxury of using craigslist to switch phones… i personally really like the ios mail app-- if u havent used it in a while it is really good now and personally i like having my photos sync to my computer naturally and I like having a good keyboard and such… its cliché but everything works and i dont have to go roaming the market to find what i want-- yes i know dropbox and others do the same thing, and probably more, but i do not like having to find everything and set it up… I guess I am lazy, but the iphone works for me

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 3:54 PM 0

20. Berzerk000

Posts: 4275; Member since: Jun 26, 2011

Have you tried ICS or Jelly Bean? Stock preferably. It gets kind of bloated and technical with a manufacturer skin, I learned that the hard way and now I swore off anything that isn't a Nexus or a Motorola (because of their very minimal custom UI). I used the iOS 5 mail app, haven't tried the iOS 6 yet but I don't think it's too different considering Apple makes very minuscule changes with each update. I do agree with you, everything on the iPhone just works. But here's the thing, everything on Android works as well. Stock or skinned, Android works. Now, out of the box, iOS and Android have most of the same features, just implemented in slightly different ways. However, with Android, you don't only have stock functions, but you also have a multitude of other very useful functions available to you; whether through the Play Store of through a custom UI (thought I don't enjoy those), you have much more features than iOS. A few features iOS doesn't have though that Android does have out of the box are; Face Unlock, love it or hate it, it's nice. Expandable notifications, with toggles for Wifi, Bluetooth, GPS, quick settings, etc. Widgets, most think they are useful, some don't Dynamic icons, I think these may only be on Motorola's custom UI, I'm not sure. Android Beam (S-Beam) And something that Android just has iOS beat at; a natural voice assistant. If you put Siri and Google Now against each other, Google Now always wins. Even with the new iOS 6 on the iPhone 5; Google Now is more responsive and delivers answer more quickly. One thing iOS has over Android; it's media interface. I LOVE the music interface on iOS, it really is nice. I prefer it over any other music application. But, that's why I got an iPod Touch and not an iPhone. Apple has a "one size fits all" philosophy, and usually it works. But, comparing it to Android's "make it your own" philosophy, Android wins about 90% of the time. Sad thing is, most people do not realize this and just blindly follow Apple. iOS is a nice OS, I always agree to that. But Android always comes out on top for me. iOS is meant to be used in a certain way that is made for you, and that's why it just works. Android already works in a certain way that is nice, but you can customize it any way you want to make it the best experience for you possible. Whether people take advantage of that or not is the defining line between an iOS fan and an Android fan.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 4:25 PM 0

22. Lucas777

Posts: 2137; Member since: Jan 06, 2011

well i have used a one x… and i learned to hate sense, but putting stock was way to much work when i liked other oses better… and i like the new mail app because of the easy refresh and the way it pulls up emails.. the mail app on my one x always pulled up emails in a non-mobile friendly way and it was super annoying (possibly an htc thing) and i found my one x needed a lot of tuning and downloading to get what i wanted, and it still didnt give me everything like the iphone did… most things it had i dont care for face unlock takes to long and did not work that well for me.. i would rather have access to my notifications i uses sbsettings so this really isnt that important to me… plus my stupid one x didnt have this option i am not really a widget type of person… they really only look nice, but i always prfer to open up the weather or email app rather than viewing it from a homescreen (i see how this is personal preference though) not sure what you mean by dynamic icons.. i think that would be only moto related I kept nfc off because it wasted so much battery… so android beam was as much work as just emailing or texting whatever it is my one x had no google now or any standard voice assistant, which was strange for a top of the line android phone, but i only use siri for two things: reminders and asking about weather, and it does those perfectly… i am sure google now does those things perfectly too, but i really like the reminders syncing with my mac i do not care for the music interface on ios as i really only use pandora.. i guess i do not care to "make it my own" as ios already works perfectly… I have no problem with android-- i have a problem with people deriding ios users simply because they like their iphones… it kind of is ironic that people make the choice to use an iphone when android is the os of choices isnt it? android is great, and works for many people… ios works for me mainly because of my mac… and i like my mac way more than i could ever like my iphone… again, i dont have a problem with android… but why should android fans think badly of ios users just because ios actually works for them?

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 4:50 PM 0

25. Berzerk000

Posts: 4275; Member since: Jun 26, 2011

HTC is the most notorious for their Sense. It is the most bloated UI of Amdroid that lags down the system and actually kind of restricts Android more than it assists. I've always said, if you want to see Android for what it really is, try out a Nexus. By far the best Android experience, except for maybe a Motorola, which is basically stock with just a few icon changes, along with that dynamic icon this I was talking about. I can't really explain it, just watch a video on any Motorola device running ICS like the Razr and you should see what I mean. Even though I've liked previous versions of Sense, ever since the release of ICS all it has done is hold the system back. HTC is also known for their horrid battery life; the only thing I find good about them now is their designs and displays. I don't think bad about iOS users unless they are ignorant and haven't tried out the latest offerings from other platforms. You don't fit those descriptions, it just looks like you were unlucky enough to get the device that actually makes Android worse. You should really give Android another shot, either with a Nexus or a Motorola, or even the Motorola Nexus that's coming out if the rumors are true. It pretty much guarantees a great experience.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 5:18 PM 0

24. XPERIA-KNIGHT unregistered

berzerk i would like to know if skins on phones like HTC, Samsung, or Sony makes the phone slower or possibly a bit laggy? Jus a question because you mention having stock android like on a nexus and moto.......so does "not" having a custom skin mean it will perform smoother?

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 5:09 PM 0

26. Berzerk000

Posts: 4275; Member since: Jun 26, 2011

It depends how heavy it is. But yes, it generally will make it slower, but the thing is you have to see whether the added features of the UI outweigh the con of having a slightly slower device. It also depends on if the manufacturer took the time to make optimizations to make of not have much of an effect.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 5:21 PM 1

27. XPERIA-KNIGHT unregistered

gotcha........you mentioned you prefer stock android, does that mean you like it specifically for those reasons? (smoother performance) or is there other benefits to having stock UI

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 5:45 PM 0

28. Berzerk000

Posts: 4275; Member since: Jun 26, 2011

It usually means you're more likely to be supported more as well, since you don't have that custom UI using up any of your RAM you're able to receive more updates.

posted on Sep 30, 2012, 5:55 PM 1

29. XPERIA-KNIGHT unregistered

cool i'll have to consider that when choosing a new phone......I got my eyes set on HTC right now and sony of course hoping to see those minor improvements that usually draw people away from them....(bigger battery, removable battery sd slot) etc.....hopefully well see more updates soon as well ......peace man :)