• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, July 17, 2020

Google has announced a transformation of Gmail in G Suite that integrates such core features as video, chat, email, files and tasks in a way that helps users “easily stay on top of things, from anywhere,” states Javier Soltero, vice president/general manager of G Suite, in a blog post this week. 

Companies and employees want more flexible ways of working, a trend being driven, in part, by COVID-19 and the increased number of people toiling remotely, Soltero contends. 

It remains to be seen what this means for marketers trying to get into the inbox. Gmail remains the leading email service worldwide—by far. Now it is adding more tasks and distractions to the inbox. 

The new setup allows account holders to join video meetings from their inbox. And they can now access Google Chat without having to switch tabs. 

And,, Chat will soon join Gmail on Android and iOS. 

What’s more, G Suite’s “better home for work” is a tool that “brings together the people, content, and tasks you need to make the most of your time,” Soltero continues. 

Users can open and co-edit a document with their tam without leaving Gmail, Soltero adds. 

Clients that have tried the new Gmail approve of it.  

The menaced configuration “seamlessly brings together the best of G Suite to make us more efficient with less context switching, allowing us to focus on the task at hand with fewer distractions,” states Gene Molloy, VP IT end user technology at Iron Mountain.

Here’s one issue that B2B brands should consider as they offer content via search and deliver it only to people with a company email address. We’re not the first to say it, but some people working at home may be using private Gmail accouts, not company email systems. 

Meanwhile, a report from EmailClientShare, as shared by essence of email,  lists the most popular email clients as follows:

Gmail—38%

Apple iPhone—28%

Apple Mail—10% 

Outlook—9%

Yahoo Mail—4% 

Apple iPad—2% 

Samsung Mail—1% 

Google Android—1% 

Outlook.com—1%

Windows Live Mail—0%