Gmail Gets Revamped Summary Cards for Events, Travel, Tracking Purchases and More

[MacRumors]

Google today announced an update for the summary card feature in Gmail, which is designed to provide helpful information at the top of incoming emails.

Summary cards have a new look for purchases, events, bill, and travel emails, with Google adding new action buttons. With these action buttons, Gmail users can do things like add an event to the calendar, or set a reminder to pay a bill.

• Purchases - Summary cards will show tracking information for purchases and order details.
• Events - Dinner reservations, concert tickets, and more will be highlighted, and there are options to add events to the calendar, invite others, and get directions.
• Bills - Summary cards can show bills, with an option to get a reminder to pay or to add a due date in Google Tasks.
• Travel - Users can manage reservations, check in for flights, and see important details like hotel checkout times.

Google says that it updated the summary card backend, so key information will be organized across all related emails and updated in real-time. Users can expect to see updates on incoming package deliveries, for example, thanks to the new dynamic version of summary cards.

Summary cards will be shown in additional places in Gmail, such as search and a new "Happening Soon" section. Happening Soon shows the estimated delivery date of incoming packages, and users will only see the section when there are deliveries. In the future, more types of summary cards will be shown in this section.

Purchase summary cards are rolling out for individual emails in the Gmail for iOS app starting today, and event, bill, and travel summary cards and the Happening Soon section set to launch in the coming months.

Article Link: Gmail Gets Revamped Summary Cards for Events, Travel, Tracking Purchases and More

 

[icanhazmac]

Gross, just another reminder that your emails are not your own.

 

[timborama]

Yes, we scrape and analyze all your emails…

 

[jz0309]

Gross, just another reminder that your emails are not your own.

in fairness, it's a "no cost for you" service on the internet. Now, do I like this? No.

Been using gmail for my main personal email for like 20 years, there were times when ads popped up left and right that were in relation to the content of the message ... and the only reason I have the gmail app on my phone is to get instant notifications of new mail, something the Apple mail app can't do, but I prefer that interface, for now (before Apple Intelligence will undoubtedly change it in the future)

Got to do some searching for email providers that have more privacy, even at some cost. Considering that 20+ years ago we probably spent $50 or whatever for postage stamps (pay bills etc) ...

 

[locovaca]

So the return of Google now

 

[masotime]

Anna must have purchased a iPhone 16 Pro Max 1TB recently with Applecare+ Theft and Loss Protection.... maybe with a case to go with it too.

 

[onFIRE]

in fairness, it's a "no cost for you" service on the internet. Now, do I like this? No.

Been using gmail for my main personal email for like 20 years, there were times when ads popped up left and right that were in relation to the content of the message ... and the only reason I have the gmail app on my phone is to get instant notifications of new mail, something the Apple mail app can't do, but I prefer that interface, for now (before Apple Intelligence will undoubtedly change it in the future)

Got to do some searching for email providers that have more privacy, even at some cost. Considering that 20+ years ago we probably spent $50 or whatever for postage stamps (pay bills etc) ...

I do the same thing. Primarily use Mail on iPhone, Mac, and iPad, but sometimes I have to open the Gmail app. I don't know how email works but I would be open to considering an option where I get the emails instantly. Would using an @icloud.com email allow that? Is that something Apple enthusiasts do?

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Yes, we scrape and analyze all your emails…

They were already doing that anyways. At least now it's for this plus whatever ad tracking and analytics they were doing before.

 

[timeislove]

in fairness, it's a "no cost for you" service on the internet. Now, do I like this? No.

Been using gmail for my main personal email for like 20 years, there were times when ads popped up left and right that were in relation to the content of the message ... and the only reason I have the gmail app on my phone is to get instant notifications of new mail, something the Apple mail app can't do, but I prefer that interface, for now (before Apple Intelligence will undoubtedly change it in the future)

Got to do some searching for email providers that have more privacy, even at some cost. Considering that 20+ years ago we probably spent $50 or whatever for postage stamps (pay bills etc) ...

Me too. Being a gmail user since its launch, agreed that the way Google deliver ads is much less disturbing and more relevant to the uses needs.

Just wondering, is this new summary card feature only available to mobile app users? Or the web users as well? Is the feature only available in certain regions?

 

[jz0309]

I do the same thing. Primarily use Mail on iPhone, Mac, and iPad, but sometimes I have to open the Gmail app. I don't know how email works but I would be open to considering an option where I get the emails instantly. Would using an @icloud.com email allow that? Is that something Apple enthusiasts do?

I am not the expert, problem with gmail account and the mail app is that new mail needs to be fetched and while I have that set to 15 min, its not instantly.
The gmail server pushes new mail to the app instantly, so that’s where for me the Gmail app comes in, I get notifications, go to the mail app and it typically then downloads the message, which in most cases takes 10+ seconds if not longer… and I have notifications for the mail app turned off.
I do not know if the iCloud server pushes the message to the mail app, while I have an email address, I don’t use it.

I just use Safari to access Gmail on my Mac and iPad, don’t want to deal with the mail app on those

 

[jz0309]

Me too. Being a gmail user since its launch, agreed that the way that Google deliver ads is much less disturbing and more relevant to the uses needs.

Just wondering, is this new summary card feature only available to mobile app users? Or the web users as well? Is the feature only available in certain regions?

I would be very surprised if those features were limited to the app only, I’m pretty sure they’ll roll them out everywhere, as for regions, honestly don’t know if Google rolls out by region, but I can see that certain more local services might not be supported at least in the beginning

 

[timeislove]

I do the same thing. Primarily use Mail on iPhone, Mac, and iPad, but sometimes I have to open the Gmail app. I don't know how email works but I would be open to considering an option where I get the emails instantly. Would using an @icloud.com email allow that? Is that something Apple enthusiasts do?

Whether you get email from other mailbox “instantly “ would be hinged on the frequency your phone check (fetch, push) the other mailboxes.

Apple has better name than Google on handling privacy. Hence, I had thought of replacing Gmail with Apple Mail. However, one thing held me up is the crappy contacts handling by Apple. Very limited no of fields in a contact being supported, ancient way of managing contacts on web, browsing through one by one, like flipping pages of an address book during the old days.

Given the tight correlation between email and contacts, I gave up the idea of using Apple mails.

Currently, I am using Gmail and Google contacts, Google calendars, together with yahoo mail & calendar and Apple calendar, with iOS mail and calendar as client app.

 

[timeislove]

I am not the expert, problem with gmail account and the mail app is that new mail needs to be fetched and while I have that set to 15 min, its not instantly.
The gmail server pushes new mail to the app instantly, so that’s where for me the Gmail app comes in, I get notifications, go to the mail app and it typically then downloads the message, which in most cases takes 10+ seconds if not longer… and I have notifications for the mail app turned off.
I do not know if the iCloud server pushes the message to the mail app, while I have an email address, I don’t use it.

I just use Safari to access Gmail on my Mac and iPad, don’t want to deal with the mail app on those

Checking my mail settings, it looks like the issue is hinged on whether the server side supports the push scheme.

Per my current settings, both iCloud and outlook support pushing info/data to iOS mail.

 

[Tozovac]

Most every “feature” with Gmail is so confusing. Just say No to gmail/google other than to search (and even then, use DuckDuckGo).

 

[bigjnyc]

No thanks, just show me a list of my emails in chronological order. This seems unnecessary and counterproductive to me

 

[Gengar]

I’ve had a Gmail account since I was 14-years-old in the 8th grade, and if it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t use the service anymore. They’ve nerfed it so much to the point where it barely works in the Mail app. Inboxes don’t sync between multiple devices automatically. Email isn’t pushed anymore, regardless of the setting. They really try to force you into using the Gmail app, but most people don’t want multiple email apps on their phones.

 

[svish]

Good to know about the changes in Gmail

 

[JustSomebody12]

Whether you get email from other mailbox “instantly “ would be hinged on the frequency your phone check (fetch, push) the other mailboxes.

Apple has better name than Google on handling privacy. Hence, I had thought of replacing Gmail with Apple Mail. However, one thing held me up is the crappy contacts handling by Apple. Very limited no of fields in a contact being supported, ancient way of managing contacts on web, browsing through one by one, like flipping pages of an address book during the old days.

Given the tight correlation between email and contacts, I gave up the idea of using Apple mails.

Currently, I am using Gmail and Google contacts, Google calendars, together with yahoo mail & calendar and Apple calendar, with iOS mail and calendar as client app.

What stops me from using the Apple mail app is the notifications: sometimes I just wish to fast delete junk mails, and the mail notifications first require to load a preview of the full e-mail...

Checking my mail settings, it looks like the issue is hinged on whether the server side supports the push scheme.

Per my current settings, both iCloud and outlook support pushing info/data to iOS mail.

It's a choice by google: some time ago, gmail supported the push notifications through the apple mail app

 

[d686546s]

It's a choice by google: some time ago, gmail supported the push notifications through the apple mail app

Yep, that was through Exchange if I remember correctly. I believe if you use any client that supports imap idle you still get Gmail push outside of the app. Outlook for example did that I believe, but I'm sure there's others.

 

[xmarcuswildx]

And Apple continues to fail to release the mail app they announced 5 months ago… and still no word of its release. They’re pretty pathetic. Seems like an easy feature to release with iOS 18 and the new iPhone. Really growing tired of apples for shareholders only BS.

 

[xmarcuswildx]

No thanks, just show me a list of my emails in chronological order. This seems unnecessary and counterproductive to me

I love spark, but hate giving them access to my info on their servers. I just want Apple to release their updated mail app.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

Why would someone let a Google app analyze his emails? I am even hesitant to write an email to a Gmail address. Google is evil.

 

[timeislove]

I love spark, but hate giving them access to my info on their servers. I just want Apple to release their updated mail app.

iOS 18 is a confusing upgrade. While the upcoming new mail categorizing is supposed not part of Apple Intelligence, some of the released features using on-device logic, safari highlights not working at all.

Without a ip16, I am wondering if the new mail categorization which is scheduled to be released in Dec would work as expected on my ip13.

 

[sKurt]

I just want an email that doesn't read my emails.

I've also had gmail for (sorts oldest 10-18-2005) 19+ years and it's pretty much quiet Hotmail for (sorts oldest 2-3-2001) 23+ (each, who knows if it's really the oldest, or just the oldest email I didn't delete...). Mindspring before this!

Anyway, google is getting more and more intrusive with their helpful stuff. Always asking if I want to sign in with my google account (hint, no, it just lets google track you more efficiently). Now these in your face 'summary cards' will be just like the damn Apple weekly reports that you can't opt out of...

I just want simple. Let me surf, let me do my business, leave me alone... I'll tell you when I need you. Hey Google, what is this? Hey Google, how do I...