The Redesigned Gmail App for Android Starts Rolling Out
What was different
- Navigation drawer. Labels and settings moved into one slide-out menu instead of being scattered around the app.
- Pull to refresh. You could pull the list down to check for new mail.
- Card-like look. The layout felt more like cards and used more colour. The author was not sure what the different colours meant, but liked the change overall.
A slow rollout
Google released the update in stages, so many people did not see it right away. The author grew tired of waiting and installed the update manually from a file posted online. That is a shortcut with a cost: installing apps from outside the Play Store means allowing installs from unknown sources, and a file from the wrong place can carry malware.
What to do today
There is no reason to hunt for an old Gmail file. Gmail updates through the Play Store on every current phone, and the app has been redesigned several times since this release.
Frequently asked questions
What is a navigation drawer?
A menu that slides in from the left edge of the screen and lists the main sections of an app. In Gmail it holds labels and settings.
Why did some people not get the update at once?
Google rolls out most app updates gradually, so different devices receive them on different days.
Is it safe to side-load Gmail?
It carries risk. The safer route is to wait for the Play Store update to reach your phone.