Apparently most Gmail users do not share the same sense of humor as the Silicon Valley technology giant, since Google was forced to apologize for its ill-advised April
Fools’ Joke on Friday.
Google is well known for its annual tradition of embracing April Fools’ Day through a variety of practical jokes integrated within its products. For
example, notable past April Fools’ jokes include the Pac-Man and Pokemon-inspired Google Maps updates.
This year’s Gmail-based April Fools’ joke went horrendously
wrong, however, as Google was forced to apologize and take down its “mic drop” feature within twelve hours.
For April Fools’ Day, Gmail replaced its“send and
archive” button with a GIF of a minion from the Despicable Me film series dropping a microphone and signaling that the conversation was
over.
"Today, Gmail is making it easier to have the last word on any email with Mic Drop," Google stated when introducing the feature on desktop. “Simply reply to any email using the new
'Send + Mic Drop' button. Everyone will get your message, but that's the last you'll ever hear about it. Yes, even if folks try to respond, you won't see it."
Gmail
users quickly took to social media to express their frustration with their email service provider, with some reporting that the GIF was sent in their emails even when they did not click on the
corresponding button.
The result was that many users accidentally sent the message to prospective employers, bosses, coworkers and clients. To make matters worse, the
“mic drop” feature made it impossible for the sender to view any replies.
“UPDATE: Well, it looks like we pranked ourselves this year,” states Google on the
company’s Gmail blog. “Due to a bug, the Mic Drop feature inadvertently caused more headaches than
laughs. We’re truly sorry. The feature has been turned off. If you are still seeing it, please reload your Gmail page.”
Although Gmail’s April Fools’ Day prank
went awry, Google’s has a number of additional practical jokes that are still running.
Google Maps Disco lets users watch Pegman dance to the disco theme “Funky Town,”
Searchable Socks helps users find missing socks with a mobile application and Google Cardboard Plastic is a transparent box that lets users view “actual reality.”