Gmail for iOS Updated With Background Refresh

MacRumors · Mar 5, 2014

Google today updated its Gmail for iOS app to version 3.0, adding both simplified sign-ins and background app refresh. With the new update, Gmail will use iOS 7's background refresh capabilities to fetch mail even when the app is not open.

Before the update, users could receive notifications when new mail was received, but opening the app was required to download the messages.

The app also supports a simplified sign-in that allows users to sign into all Google apps when signing into a single app such as Maps, Drive, Chrome, or Gmail.

Background app refresh: Gmail now fetches your mail even when it is not open so it will be waiting for you when you open the app. Requires iOS 7 and at least one type of notification (badge, alert, or banner) to be turned on.

Simplified sign-in: Signing into Google Apps such as Gmail, Maps, Drive and Chrome just got easier. Sign in to one, and you'll be signed in to all automatically.

Note: In some cases, you may need to sign-in to Gmail again after this update.

Gmail can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Gmail for iOS Updated With Background Refresh

SkippyThorson · Mar 5, 2014

I've got to say, the Google apps are all fantastic, but I want my work account signed in to some, and my personal account signed in to others.

When it tries to throw both my accounts on all Google apps, I want to just delete every single one.

Other than that, this is a welcome update.

eaglesfanone · Mar 5, 2014

Really, updating this app mean nothing until a unified inbox is included.

Lefty21 · Mar 5, 2014

Nice. This may be the change that convinces me to use the GMail app instead of the stock Mail app from now on (I primarily use my GMail for everything anyway). Downloading now.

bookofzero · Mar 5, 2014

Wasn't it recently discovered that apps can abuse background refresh to continue to mine your personal information? Am I the only one unsurprised that Google released this on the heels of this discovery?

ptb42 · Mar 5, 2014

eaglesfanone said:
Really, updating this app mean nothing until a unified inbox is included.

I agree. My iPhone mail unifies incoming mail from one personal and two different business accounts. Only one of them is GMail. I'm not using two different apps to check email.

johannnn · Mar 5, 2014

The gmail app has always impressed me by giving me notifications the same moment new mails arrives to my inbox. How has it done this without app refresh?
And asking in another way, how is this update any better for me since I always get instant notifications?

jpfpreston · Mar 5, 2014

When will they drop the bottom shadow from their iOS App icon?

Their iOS app icons stand out like a sore thumb amongst nicely designed iOS 7 icons. YouTube, Google Maps, Chrome are all quite tacky with an iOS 6 style shadow applied.

Fix it. Have a better eye for design.

BaldiMac · Mar 5, 2014

poobear said:
The gmail app has always impressed me by giving me notifications the same moment new mails arrives to my inbox. How has it done this without app refresh?

Through Apple's push notifications server.

And asking in another way, how is this update any better for me since I always get instant notifications?

Read the quote in the original post.

KoolAid-Drink · Mar 5, 2014

The question is, will instant notifications continue to work even with Background Refresh off? I have BR off due to battery consumption.

BaldiMac · Mar 5, 2014

KoolAid-Drink said:
The question is, will instant notifications continue to work even with Background Refresh off? I have BR off due to battery consumption.

Push notifications work without Background Refresh as they always have. (From the description, it sounds like the notifications actually trigger the background refresh.)

KoolAid-Drink · Mar 5, 2014

If so, what's the point of Background Refresh if you're getting instant notifications, anyway?

BaldiMac said:
Push notifications work without Background Refresh as they always have. (From the description, it sounds like the notifications actually trigger the background refresh.)

BaldiMac · Mar 5, 2014

KoolAid-Drink said:
If so, what's the point of Background Refresh if you're getting instant notifications, anyway?

Read the quote in the original post.

Background app refresh: Gmail now fetches your mail even when it is not open so it will be waiting for you when you open the app.

MrGuder · Mar 5, 2014

I don't see any update for my gmail app.

taptic · Mar 5, 2014

Just keep google off my iPhone please!

johannnn · Mar 5, 2014

BaldiMac said:
Read the quote in the original post.

But who closes the app? Or doesn't start it after booting their phone? I fail to see any gain for 99% of gmail app users

octothorpe8 · Mar 5, 2014

Every since I started using Mailbox, I just want to swipe messages left or right to act on them *and it feels incredibly clumsy and slow to go back to ticking boxes and hitting buttons.

nzalog · Mar 5, 2014

How about don't be dicks and just allow 'push' to the native iOS client.

KoolAid-Drink · Mar 5, 2014

But it already does that. Gmail shows me a notification for a new message, I open Gmail, and it takes me straight to the message. I just don't see the difference?

BaldiMac said:
Read the quote in the original post.

bozzykid · Mar 5, 2014

KoolAid-Drink said:
But it already does that. Gmail shows me a notification for a new message, I open Gmail, and it takes me straight to the message. I just don't see the difference?

You must have a perfect connection at all times then. Before now, Gmail couldn't load the message until after you opened the app from the notification. Now it is using iOS 7's background refresh so that your inbox messages are downloaded in the background.

Born Again · Mar 5, 2014

jpfpreston said:
Their iOS app icons stand out like a sore thumb amongst nicely designed iOS 7 icons. YouTube, Google Maps, Chrome are all quite tacky with an iOS 6 style shadow applied.

Fix it. Have a better eye for design.

Have you see. Ios7 ?!

And you're criticizing design ?

pittpanthersfan · Mar 5, 2014

bookofzero said:
Wasn't it recently discovered that apps can abuse background refresh to continue to mine your personal information? Am I the only one unsurprised that Google released this on the heels of this discovery?

Could you elaborate or link to more information?

C DM · Mar 5, 2014

bookofzero said:
Wasn't it recently discovered that apps can abuse background refresh to continue to mine your personal information? Am I the only one unsurprised that Google released this on the heels of this discovery?

Yeah, clearly the two are completely related.

----------

MrGuder said:
I don't see any update for my gmail app.

Feel free not to install it.

iBreatheApple · Mar 5, 2014

Forget Gmail, can someone tell me why we still can't play YouTube in the background?

Msail30bay · Mar 5, 2014

Oh god, I hope my signing-in process is [better] than the last update, has been so annoying, taking forever.

Gmail for iOS Updated With Background Refresh

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