Google adds Notification Center support for iOS Gmail app

Google yesterday updated its Gmail app for iOS, adding complete support for the Apple operating system’s Notification Center. Other additions include ‘Send-as’ – a facility to send emails from alternate addresses - and ‘Persistent login’, which means sessions will no longer undergo timeout and expire.

With Notification Center support, Google gives iPhone users options to receive Gmail message notifications on the banner, lock screen and through alerts. Jason Parachoniak, Software Engineer, posted on the Official Gmail Blog that “notifications are now incredibly fast -- up to 5x faster than in the previous version”.

Gmail notifications on Notification Center

However, the ‘Send-as' feature is only available if you have configured alternate sender addresses in Gmail on your desktop, under 'Settings->Accounts->Send mail as'. If you have done so, you will see a 'From:' option when composing new messages in the app. Lastly, the improved login process allows users to stay logged in for as long as they like. Users can still choose to sign out of their accounts, but won’t be logged out after a certain period of time has expired.

Select alternate e-mail addresses to send messages

The software giant had rolled out the official Gmail app for the iOS in November, last year, but pulled it out after some serious bugs were detected. Some of the features of the app include push notifications, the ability to attach a photo to an e-mail, speedier searches, Priority Inbox, mail organization with archiving, labeling, starring and reporting as spam, as well as viewing labels without leaving the inbox.

Google has been periodically releasing updates to the Gmail app. Earlier updates include ability to set a custom signature for your mobile messages and a vacation responder, both available through the gear icon at the top of the menu view. The company has also improved labels with support for nested labels. Google has also added a feature that lets you pen up a canvas and scribble a message that will be attached to your e-mail. Scribbles support different colours, brush sizes, lines, erasers and spray paint.

The app, however, does not support multiple accounts, as opposed to the app on Android. Parachoniak, however promised in the blog post mentioned earlier that more updates were coming soon. He said, “We’ll continue to improve the app, and we’re looking forward to bringing you more features in future releases, including support for multiple accounts.” The Gmail app for iOS is available for free from the iOS App Store and can be used on any iDevice running iOS 4 or higher.