Gmail testing chat-like message box on new emails for Android users

Google is apparently testing a new quick reply interface in Gmail that appears below new emails in the Android app. The chat-like message box appears at the bottom of received emails, similar to instant messaging apps, according to Android Police. The text field in the message box expands and moves to the middle of the screen when tapped, maximising space for text while still keeping the original email visible, the report mentioned.

Google has yet to officially comment on the feature. This appears to be a limited server-side test from Google and comes shortly after the company made certain changes to the overall interface of the Gmail app to make it look more friendly. One of them is the integration of Chat within Gmail, which makes it all so convenient to quickly have a conversation with Gmail contacts, instead of going for emails.

The new message box under testing replaces buttons for Reply, Reply All, and Forward the email you received, as reported. The new message box appears persistently at the bottom of the screen, and you don’t need to scroll to the bottom of an email to see it. Just like a message writing field in an instant messaging app like Telegram or WhatsApp, one can use the chat-like box to reply to new emails.

One can also use the drop-down on the left side of the message box to change to Reply All or edit the list of recipients. On the right side, you get an expand button which brings up the full-screen message composition window you may be accustomed to. It can be useful if you’re typing out a long message or replying in great detail, the report said. “The reply setting drop-down and window expansion buttons also move out of the way to maximize the room available for your text,” it added.

— Written with inputs from IANS