After testing out a Quick Reply feature in Gmail last year, Google's ready to make the feature a permanent part of its email client — at least for some users.
Google has started rolling out Quick Reply to the Android version of Gmail, and the new feature is aimed at making it easier to reply to emails. The update to Gmail is apparently part of the latest Android Feature Drop that came out today, according to Android Authority.
As of this writing, not everyone has the new UI update. The rollout is ongoing, and the Android Feature Drop notes don’t provide clarity on when everyone will get access to Quick Reply.
For those who haven’t received it, you’ll still see Reply, Reply All and Forward buttons on the bottom of emails. Tapping those buttons brings up a full-screen window for composing your response.
The new Quick Reply UI replaces all of that with a new text box that can be tapped to quickly enter a short reply; it can also be used to attach a file. There's a dropdown menu to edit the recipients or reply to everyone included in the original email. And naturally, you'll be able to use an emoji reaction button, too.
Once you start typing, the emoji button gets replaced with a send button. To type longer emails, an expand button also becomes available to switch to the regular compose email screen.
A larger change to the Android Gmail app could be in the works, as Android Authority expects a new Gemini button will be coming to Gmail. The addition was spotted by an Android Authority contributor, and it would allow both queries from users and email summaries — two features demonstrated during Google I/O.
Currently, the browser version of the Gemini button is available to Workspace users. Workspace is a suite of Google products aimed at businesses. So, it’s unclear when non-business users of Gmail on browsers will get this button, much less the Android app.
Other new features in today's Android Feature Drop mostly seem to focus on Google Meet and Google Home. Users also can finally edit messages in Google Messages.
