Google finally launched their official Gmail application for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad last night. Within 12 hours, the app has gone missing from the App Store.
The Mountain View, CA Company has pulled the Gmail app within 12 hours, explaining that it was launched with numerous bugs and problems. Google has already issued a statement regarding the availability of the app:
“The iOS app we launched today contained a bug with notifications,” Google posted on Twitter. “We have pulled the app to fix the problem. Sorry we messed up.”
Gmail users have been waiting a very long time for Google to bring some sort of official app and familiar Gmail interface to Apple’s mobile devices, so further delay can only serve to cause annoyance.
The new app is said to bring seamless Gmail integration to the iPhone in an attractive but simple user interface. Google has laid out some of the features of the app, including:
- Push notifications and sounds for new Email messages
- Entire inbox search with ease, making finding emails quick and painless
- Autocomplete email addresses from your Gmail contacts or select from your device’s address book
- Upload photos with a click using the new attachment button in compose view
- On iPad, navigate your inbox and read your mail simultaneously with split view
The app also brings Gmail’s ‘priority inbox’ feature which helps users to find their most important messages with ease. Email conversations appear in the threaded form, just like with Apple’s Messaging app. Several touch gestures have also been baked in, meaning the user can swipe left or right through folders, messages and inboxes.
Unfortunately we weren’t quick enough to grab the app before it was removed from the App Store. Have you used the new Gmail app yet? Let us know your thoughts on our comments below or via our @Gadget_Helpline Twitter page or Official Facebook group.