Gmail app update tightens Google's iOS ecosystem with support for Chrome, Maps, YouTube
In a move that will only widen its foothold within Apple's iOS, Google on Monday rolled out an update to its Gmail app, one that ties together Google-provided apps and services on Apple's platform more so than ever before.
Version 2.2.7182 of Google's Gmail app for iOS contains a number of minor tweaks as well, but the major development in Monday's release is Google's tying together of its assorted iOS services. The Gmail app will now open YouTube, Google Maps, and web links in Google's YouTube, Maps, and Chrome apps if a user has those apps installed.
Users can, if they choose to, turn off this feature, but it serves to unify Google's services throughout iOS, effectively creating an ecosystem within Apple's ecosystem and ensuring the interoperability of Google services on the platform. The move circumvents some Apple regulations, namely the inability of third-party developers to have their apps set as the default handlers for certain tasks throughout iOS. That limitation hasn't kept Google's offerings from becoming popular, but the search giant no doubt would like to remove all barriers between its apps.
From YouTube to Gmail to Chrome, Google has continually pushed to grow mindshare for its services on iOS, in many cases developing more elegant apps for iOS than for its own Android platform. Many of those apps have debuted to immense popularity: Google Maps and YouTube among the App Store's top 25 downloaded apps of all time only months after their debut.
Similarly, Google's Chrome browser debuted to much interest, hitting the top spot among free iOS apps within 12 hours of its initial release. The inability to set Chrome as a default, though ? along with Apple's restrictions on browser capabilities ? limited Chrome's appeal after its debut, though it is the most popular non-Safari app on Apple's platform.
In August of last year, Google updated its Google+ app for iOS to open web links in its Chrome browser, and the Gmail update would appear to be a continuation of that trend. With the new update, Google has a video service, location service, social network, email service, and browser all linked together and likely to grow in interoperability.
The Gmail app for iOS is available as a free download from the App Store. The 12.1MB download is compatible with iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads running iOS 5.0 or later.
Version 2.2.7182 of Google's Gmail app for iOS contains a number of minor tweaks as well, but the major development in Monday's release is Google's tying together of its assorted iOS services. The Gmail app will now open YouTube, Google Maps, and web links in Google's YouTube, Maps, and Chrome apps if a user has those apps installed.
Users can, if they choose to, turn off this feature, but it serves to unify Google's services throughout iOS, effectively creating an ecosystem within Apple's ecosystem and ensuring the interoperability of Google services on the platform. The move circumvents some Apple regulations, namely the inability of third-party developers to have their apps set as the default handlers for certain tasks throughout iOS. That limitation hasn't kept Google's offerings from becoming popular, but the search giant no doubt would like to remove all barriers between its apps.
From YouTube to Gmail to Chrome, Google has continually pushed to grow mindshare for its services on iOS, in many cases developing more elegant apps for iOS than for its own Android platform. Many of those apps have debuted to immense popularity: Google Maps and YouTube among the App Store's top 25 downloaded apps of all time only months after their debut.
Similarly, Google's Chrome browser debuted to much interest, hitting the top spot among free iOS apps within 12 hours of its initial release. The inability to set Chrome as a default, though ? along with Apple's restrictions on browser capabilities ? limited Chrome's appeal after its debut, though it is the most popular non-Safari app on Apple's platform.
In August of last year, Google updated its Google+ app for iOS to open web links in its Chrome browser, and the Gmail update would appear to be a continuation of that trend. With the new update, Google has a video service, location service, social network, email service, and browser all linked together and likely to grow in interoperability.
The Gmail app for iOS is available as a free download from the App Store. The 12.1MB download is compatible with iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads running iOS 5.0 or later.
Comments
Ha-ha. Just say NO to the masters of personal monitoring and intellectual property infringement.
I cant really blame them.
Wanting all of your application to work together and depend on each other sounds like a logical step forward to promote your company.
It is not like they are launching Chrome over Safari in some 3rd party app, it is only in their gmail app.
If yo are a fan of or use any of their apps this seems to be a nice way to have them all at your finger tips.
I myself no longer use any of Googles products including their search engine because of privacy issues.
Clever girl.
Smart move.
But to find Google apps on an iPhone you have to be really blind. Gmail instead of Mail and a new apple account (just forward your mails if it is needed)? Maps (debatable, but Apple is going to surpass it soon)? Chrome (kill yourself ASAP) instead of Safari on iOS?
I wonder if this is really why they stopped supporting the ability to push new emails using the default mail app. This way they and better herd users to their services and away from apple's
I wonder how they are doing it programatically. Apple originally allowed apps to have a unique declared file extensions that would open them with a predefined app, but how is Google doing it?
Face it some people can not help themselves, they want a big brother watching over everything they do on the internet and providing them with only the information that the big brother wants them to see and know.
Honestly, they talk about Apple being a religion or a cult, I think Google fits the classic definition of cult, The puppet master want to be sure its followers only see and knows what it feels it best for them to know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin Huber
Google is a cancer growing within the body Apple. Apple needs to respond in iOS7. I don't use any of Google's stuff anymore. Stopped using Google maps when the new version asked me to set up a Google account before it would open. Used Apple turn-by-turn to navigate all over New Zealand on vacation and it was flawless.
It's a two way street. Apple can't ban Google unless Google breaks the rules. If Google merely bends the rules, it puts Apple in a difficult position because banning a Google app could be viewed unfavorably by the general iOS user base and regulators. Banning Google apps opens a can of worms and allowing Google to run amuck in iOS opens another can of worms.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin Huber
Google is a cancer growing within the body Apple. Apple needs to respond in iOS7. I don't use any of Google's stuff anymore. Stopped using Google maps when the new version asked me to set up a Google account before it would open. Used Apple turn-by-turn to navigate all over New Zealand on vacation and it was flawless.
Apple just need to compete and provide an equally good map service, email experience and err... you tube alternative? If apple maps become as good as Google maps there would be little reason for people to bother installing a third party app. I suspect most people stick with Apple Mail because it works well. YouTube, however, has no real competitor and is potentially huge for Google. We can't live without YouTube, right?
I don't see this as being a bad thing. Think about it. There are lots of people that like Apple products but still like using Google services. For those that don't they don't have to have these settings enabled. Anyway the thing about it is you can buy an iPhone and have access to Google services and actually have some options in default app use now (Of course only through gmail app, which I personally don't care for on my Android device), as well as having the default Apple applications which work flawlessly in my past experiences with owning an iPhone, and hopefully continues with my future iPhone after i dump Android. If you buy a Android device you don't get Apple services. As an iPhone customer you get the best of both worlds which they each clearly have their own strengths. I say the fact that Google seems to support iOS as much as they do, especially since Apple started distancing themselves from Google services, is a great thing for Apple iPhone users.
I switched over to Chrome a while ago, and I was surprised how little impact it had that it wasn't the standard browser. Unlike on a PC i can't click on local .html files anyway, so 95% of all cases when Safari is being invoked it's through some in-app purchasing or in-app ads in apps that I'm trying to avoid anyway. Effectively, once I put Chrome on the shelf Safari runs maybe once a week or so.
For me, this presents the chance to evaluate the Google Mail/Video/Mapping/Browsing/Calendaring/Now eco-system and measure it against the clear MacDaddy of them all, iTunes/Safari/Maps/Notes/Contacts and Siri. Fun times ahead!
I already compared the mapping apps on a trip to Wales, where Apple Maps showed some subtle touches that mighty Google failed at.
Voice commands with Siri show context awareness - if I previously asked it for the German Bundesliga standings, all I had to do next was say "and what about the Spanish League?" or "and the French?" and Siri would understand and respond correctly with voice and graphics. Not so Google: while Google displayed the initial result faster, it was not smart enough to understand the context of my follow-up questions, and would silently display web page URLs instead... the question "and the French?" thus turned up comical URL results, as did "and what about the Spanish League?".
Quote:
Originally Posted by paxman
I suspect most people stick with Apple Mail because it works well.
I have very recently quit using my iCloud mail and I'm forwarding all my Apple mail to another mail service because I was getting quite a bit of spam on my iCloud account. It just started a month or so ago. Not sure what changed but I hate spam. Now the Apple mail gets filtered properly by the other mail service. I still use the Mail app on iOS, I just don't need to log into iCloud anymore.
This. Services have always been more important to me than hardware.
When it came time for me to get a new phone, apples push to rid iOS of Google services was a huge factor in my decision to pick the nexus 4 over the iPhone 5. To their credit, Google has done a great job fighting back, and at this rate, I might even consider the next iPhone.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: if I end up buying an iPhone, it will be because of Google, and not Apple.
Originally Posted by majjo
if I end up buying an iPhone, it will be because of Google, and not Apple.
How foolish.
"The move circumvents some Apple regulations, namely the inability of third-party developers to have their apps set as the default handlers for certain tasks throughout iOS"
This does not set default handlers for tasks throughout iOS, in that if you quit Gmail, your default web browser reverts to Safari; if you choose not to allow the app to choose Chrome, Safari remains default anyway...
In the case of those choosing Chrome within Gmail, they will merely be depriving their iOS device of the speedy Nitro JavaScript engine that Safari (and Safari alone) employs for rapid web surfing...
Originally Posted by majjo
if I end up buying an iPhone, it will be because of Google, and not Apple.
Good for you, good for Google, good for Apple...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
How foolish.
To each his own... win-win-win all round, no?
Originally Posted by airmanchairman
To each his own... win-win-win all round, no?
A double standard in logic, is all.