The Shortwave email client brings some neat features
Back in 2015, Google released an email client called “Inbox” and it has some neat features and grouped emails in a very convenient way. However, Google decided to shut down this app in 2019 and move some of the features to Gmail. Not all of the features made it over, and many users were disappointed by this. Today, we got news that the service is coming back. According to Android Police, Inbox will be returning in a new form, and it’s going to be reincarnated as Shortwave. This app was developed by a team of Ex-Google employees, and it plans on bringing those features back that we missed. The person spearheading this venture is Andrew Lee, who is the CEO of the company, and has led the team that created Firebase.
So, what makes Shortwave great?
The core thinking behind the Shortwave email client is that your emails should be organized better. It’s so easy for your emails to stack up and become a mess. This is also something that affects Gmail. It’s typical for professionals to be bombarded by a torrent of emails each day, and there needs to be a better way of organizing them. Enter Shortwave! Shortwave compartmentalizes your emails so that you only see the ones that you want to see when you want. The emails are grouped in categories, so if you get a lot of emails from a singular source, they will all be put into one folder. There’s also the ability to pin folders to the top of the feed so you can access them quicker. There’s a tab on the bottom that will switch the view to show your active conversations. It will only show you direct emails that you’ve replied to, and that helps you keep track of the more important emails you need to respond to. The interface overall is really well-optimized for mobile devices. You don’t really feel like you’re using an email client at times. It feels like you’re using a mobile messaging app. All of the UI elements are large and easy to read, and the overall aesthetic is pleasing to look at.
This app is in early testing
I’m currently using the beta version of this app, and it’s working just perfectly for me. If you want to try this out for yourself, it’s not as easy as downloading the app. First, you’ll need to join the company’s Google Group. Next, you’ll be taken to the app page where you can download it from that point, you’ll need to log in with the same email address you used for the group. From there, you can enjoy the app and its features.
