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Gmail Now Converts Phone Numbers and Addresses to Links on Desktop and in iOS Apps

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Apr 12, 2001
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Google today announced an update to Gmail that will see the popular mail client able to convert addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and contacts to into clickable hyperlinks.

The new hyperlink feature is available on the web and in the Gmail mobile apps for iOS and Android -- Gmail and Inbox by Gmail. This is something that has long been available in Apple's own Mail app on iOS and Mac devices.

gmailaddresshyperlink-800x647.jpg

When an address is clicked from Gmail, it will automatically open up Google Maps. Clicking an email address will compose a new email using the user's default email client, and clicking a phone number will start a call request.

Google says it will take approximately one to three days for the new feature to roll out to all users.

Article Link: Gmail Now Converts Phone Numbers and Addresses to Links on Desktop and in iOS Apps
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/18/gmail-phone-number-address-links/
ILuvEggplant said:
Love the Gmail app.

The Apple mail app is seriously terrible.

Apple can learn a thing or two from Google about software.
Click to expand...

The Gmail app middle of the road IMHO. There are far better than that in the App Store.

Apple's Email is definitely the worst of the worst, I agree.
 
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Sometimes this is convenient, other times it's undesirable. Apple and Google should give users the option to toggle automatic phone/address hyperlinks.
 
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I’d love to see Apple redesign most of their first party apps for iOS 12. Just look at how good Things 3 is compared to the built-in Reminders app. Or anything compared to Reminders, with its glitchy behavior. Basic things like rearranging items becomes a chore as it won’t always “stick” the first time. And don’t even get me started on Mail!

As for this feature, it took them long enough! Can’t believe it hasn’t had this feature until now.
 
justiny said:
I agree Apple can learn a thing or two or ten about software. But definitely not from Google.
Click to expand...
As noted above, Google (and Samsung) had this years ago but had to remove it due to an Apple patent. Hopefully Google doesn't patent such simple concepts in order to restrict others from using features like this....
[doublepost=1505825607][/doublepost]Interestingly, just yesterday I tapped a tracking # in an email (using the Gmail app) and got a pop-up asking me if I wanted to use Google Chrome or Safari to open the link. There was also a toggle to remember this setting. This is something new. Not sure if it's from Gmail or the GM release of iOS 11.
 
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After reading all the positive posts about the Gmail app, I installed it yesterday. However I noticed right away that Google was inserting ads that looked like legitimate emails into my promotions tab (filtered inbox).

Every time I deleted the ad, the next time I opened the Gmail app a new ad would appear in that tab.

I've deleted the Gmail app and went back to using drfault mail app. As terrible as it is, at least I don't see any ads anymore.
 
ATC said:
I've deleted the Gmail app and went back to using drfault mail app. As terrible as it is, at least I don't see any ads anymore.
Click to expand...

I use Spark as my default email app for all of my devices. If you haven’t tried it out yet, I highly recommend it.
 
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The Airmail apps for iOS and Mac are worth their respective prices. Not perfect, and not for those who don't like customizing stuff, but still 'way cool.
 
I use the Apple mail app in iOS. I don't get why people say it's bad. Am I living in the blue pill world?

My only annoyance was when Apple for no reason removed the ability to sync mail accounts with OS X. Honestly was a big reason I used it. I have like 12 accounts, so it's a pain to set that up manually every time I wipe my phone.
 
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Apple has done this a veeeeeery long time ago.
Not just hyperlinks for email, phone numbers and URL... but Apple is also able to detect a UPS/Fedex/USPS tracking number and automatically change them into a clickable URL that actually tracks the package.
 
ATC said:
After reading all the positive posts about the Gmail app, I installed it yesterday. However I noticed right away that Google was inserting ads that looked like legitimate emails into my promotions tab (filtered inbox).

Every time I deleted the ad, the next time I opened the Gmail app a new ad would appear in that tab.

I've deleted the Gmail app and went back to using drfault mail app. As terrible as it is, at least I don't see any ads anymore.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, I don't see ads in the app at all. One suggestion I would make is to "Configure Inbox" to not show those extra tabs (promotions, social, etc). It looks like you have to do this from a computer though - can't do it from the app that I can see.

fairuz said:
I use the Apple mail app in iOS. I don't get why people say it's bad. Am I living in the blue pill world?
Click to expand...
What other mail apps have you tried ?
 
HallStevenson said:
Hmmm, I don't see ads in the app at all. One suggestion I would make is to "Configure Inbox" to not show those extra tabs (promotions, social, etc). It looks like you have to do this from a computer though - can't do it from the app that I can see.
Click to expand...

You are correct. After a little more experimenting and digging I figured out that disabling the extra tabs (from computer, can't do it in-app) hid all the ads. Google only inserts ads into the Promotions tab. It's still too bad because I liked the tabs idea, it placed all the emails that I subscribe to that were promotional (flyers, sales, etc... from retailers I frequent) neatly into a folder. Oh well.

On a completely unrelated note, I just noticed that Apple Maps in iOS 11 added the one-finger zoom that Google Maps has. Pretty cool.
 
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