What you need to know
- Gmail got a two-pane view on the flip phone.
- A list view of your inbox is displayed on the left side of the interface, and message content is displayed on the right side.
- Google is rolling out a visual refresh for book-folding phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Google rolled out a much-needed UI overhaul to its Gmail app on its flip phone, giving the email client a better interface for wider screens.
The Gmail app now displays a two-pane view on many of the best foldable phones such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. Google made the announcement in a blog post. (opens in new tab)A visual refresh shows your inbox list on the left side of the screen and email content on the right.
This is the latest step in Google’s broader effort to fix Android on tablets and foldables, which began with the release of Android 12L. Before the change, your Gmail inbox list took up the entire screen of your foldable device. While this is ideal for traditional smartphones, the lack of software optimizations that really make use of some of that space robs it of potential for large-screen devices.
The two-pane view is the Gmail app’s[Meet]tab and[Chat]Also available in tabs. This mod is probably only applicable to book-style flip phones, and the Motorola Razrs of the world are in the cold.
If you need to compose a new email, the Compose FAB (floating action button) is at the bottom of the left half of the screen and the search bar is above your inbox. The bottom bar, on the other hand, spans the entire width of the screen.
More importantly, this update saves you time navigating between your inbox list and email content. Little software tricks like this give the foldable device its own identity, unlike the traditional pane of glass that has caught all of Google’s attention in recent years.
It’s also likely part of Google’s preparations for the upcoming launch of its first in-house tablet, the Pixel Fold, though exact launch date details are still lacking at this time.
