Label Gmail messages right in the new compose

Users can now add labels and stars to their messages right in the new compose on Gmail, thereby organising their emails in a better way. To do it, users will have to click on the More options menu in the new compose at the bottom right and hover on the Label option there. It was in October last year, when Google redesigned the compose feature on Gmail. Composing an email now is quicker, for the compose box opens just like a chat window would, albeit larger. In its official Gmail blog post, Phil Sharp, Google’s Product Manager, elaborated that with this new design, it was possible to keep the compose mail box open and still look for older mails for reference. This way, users can also keep an eye out for newer mails. Sharp wrote “The new compose is designed to let you focus on what's important: your message.” 

All the controls will still be accessible, but won't come in the user's way when not needed. Users can insert inline images too, with more to come.

Organise your emails better

When users add recipients to their messages now, profile pictures of their contacts show up in autocomplete, letting them be sure of sending mails to the intended recepient. Users can drag and drop the new address chips between to:, cc: and bcc:. Once users are done adding recipients, the address bar collapses automatically.

Users will be able to spot the same changes. "The reply experience has been designed to fit better inline as part of your conversation -- replies take up much less vertical height, intelligently expand to fit your content, and always keep the recipients and other controls in view no matter how long your message gets," added Sharp.

In December last year, Google gave a facelift to its native app on iOS with the launch of Gmail 2.0. The sleeker, feature rich new app seemed at par with Gmail’s Android app. "With version 2.0 of the app, you'll get a totally new look and feel, plus a bunch of improvements like profile pictures in messages, numerous new animations from swivels to transitions and infinite scrolling in the message lists,” said Google in a blog post announcing the 2.0 version of the app.

Gmail’s update for iOS came only a little after the Android version was updated with new features and bug fixes. The Android update contained features like image thumbnails in the mail, swipe to archive or delete and the much awaited ability to attach images and videos from within the message.

It looks like Google has been trying to step up its game after Microsoft’s newly revamped Outlook.com started luring Gmail users with more features and a clutter free Mobile UI. Microsoft had released numbers last month that showed 28 million active users on the website. Microsoft also claimed to have invited a panel of Gmail users to try out its services and said four out of five users of the Google mail service would want to switch.