Google replaces your old, familiar Gmail with the new Inbox

The leading webmail service, Google just released a new way to keep your email organized so you can spend more time being productive. Read on to learn how to use all the new features of Inbox by Gmail.

Sorting through a bunch of email is not a great way to spend your time, both on and off the clock. As a solution, Google has designed a new email service called Inbox by Gmail — available on Android and Chrome — that will help you get through your messages faster.

The new email service from Google is built on everything that Google has learned from its decade old operations with Gmail. According to the official website of Inbox, “it is a fresh start that goes beyond email to help you get back to what matters.”

Inbox is currently available only through invites. All existing Gmail users can request for an ‘invite to Inbox’ by sending an email to inbox@google.com. Google has also released the mobile app of its new email service and is available for free download in Google Play store and iTunes.

The unexpected move from Google is the result of the rigorous attempt of the tech giant to refurbish its Gmail inbox by ensuring that users don’t miss important emails due to overcrowding.

When Gmail stared service in April 2004, it was only an invite-only beta version like today’s Inbox. Experts believe that if Inbox serves the expected results, Google might change the gears and we could see a total overhaul of Gmail.

Such overnight changes are not new to internet users. Earlier, Microsoft had revamped its email service, Hotmail into Outlook which features Microsoft’s Windows 8 type Metro design language, and a look alike of Microsoft Outlook for PC’s.

A Google executive on Google+ wrote, “Our biggest rethink of email since Gmail, really excited about Inbox.”

According to the official website of Inbox, the key additions of the new email service from Google are Bundles, Highlights, Reminders and Snooze.

Inbox has a new feature that bundles messages related to keywords under one roof. Google does this by grouping together all the emails coming from, say a travel website under the group Travel. Users are also allowed to unbundle the emails and create a separate group of one’s liking.

The preset in Inbox’s main bundles are Travel, Purchases, Finance, Social, Updates, Forums and Promos.

Highlight, one of the main features of Inbox will give users updates about their latest booking and deliveries without even having to open the message from the sender. This will make it easier for users to see flight status, reservation details, and pictures.

On signing up to Inbox, all the data stored in Gmail and associated Google services will be transferred to Inbox service. The Google+ profile of the users will be also shared with Inbox, so that the changes made in Inbox will be reflected in G+, this includes the profile image of the users.

Inbox also lets users to set to-dos to the top of inbox and Google says that the email service can even offer a helping hand to users in getting things done.

If users are not in a position to read the email they can use the handy feature called Snooze. Snooze gives users the option to leave aside an email for a set duration or even set follow up actions for the future.

Sundar Pichai, senior vice-president of Android, Chrome and apps wrote on the official Google blog, “We get more email now than ever, important information is buried inside messages, and our most important tasks can slip through the cracks – especially when we’re working on our phones.”

He added “For many of us, dealing with email has become a daily chore that distracts from what we really need to do – rather than helping us get those things done”.

According to Google, Inbox isn’t meant to replace Gmail, but instead offer an alternative way to deal with your messages