Let’s face it – even if you’re not a Google Android fanboy you probably still have a Gmail account. Google has just rolled out a new mobile app that makes checking that e-mail account a bit easier on the iPhone.
The update adds push e-mail support to the existing Google Mobile app on the iPhone, with notifications that pop up whenever users receive a new Gmail message.
Although users are free to set up their Gmail accounts manually to the iPhone’s mail service, there has been no official Gmail app or Apple-sanctioned support for adding a Gmail account to the device.
In addition to the Gmail update, the new version of Google Mobile on iPhone adds similar functionality for syncing with Google Calendar – event notifications will pop up directly on the screen based on user settings.
The update also refines the Google search process for iPhone owners.
“Ever missed an appointment or important email because you were away from your desk? Now Google Mobile App can help with push notifications from your Google account to your iPhone — an icon badge shows you’ve got new mail in Gmail, and Google Calendar event reminders appear right on your home screen,” wrote Google engineering manager David Singleton in an official blog post.
It’s a miracle that a Google Mobile app even exists on the iPhone. Given that Apple has rejected such offensive apps as a collection of political cartoons from a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, it’s amazing Apple found nothing wrong with its biggest mobile competitor putting out an iPhone app.
