Mailbox is an upcoming email management app developed by the team that designed collaborative task management app Orchestra, which was lauded for its simple design.

Mailbox, which is designed to work with Gmail, features a clean, simple design that uses intuitive touch gestures, much like list-making app Clear. Quick swiping emails to the right removes them from the inbox and archives them, while a longer slide and hold deletes them.

mailbox

Reorganization of the inbox is also a simple task with drag gestures, and the app also allows users swipe left to "Snooze" emails, putting them out of sight and out of mind until later.

TechCrunch has an early hands-on review of the app:

Mailbox takes a very stripped-down approach, providing a limited set of options for dealing with email. It breaks incoming emails into three basic categories: Those you’d like to keep in your inbox, those you'd like to save for later, and those you'd like to get rid of as quickly as possible.

The whole thing is built on the concept of gestures, basically swiping left or swiping right over an email in your inbox to do something with it. Want to archive an email? A short swipe to the right will do that, clearing it from view. Want to delete? Try a longer swipe right.

But the most interesting aspect is the save-for-later option. Don’t have time for an email right now but want to respond at some point? Just swipe to the left. Once you do, you’ll be met with a few options for when you want that email to appear in your inbox: later in the day (three hours later), tomorrow, on the weekend, next week, etc. It then clears those emails from the inbox but makes them easily accessible from the menu screen. It works the same for adding emails to lists, like a "read later" or "watch later" list. It just needs a longer swipe.

The Verge has also had the opportunity to test Mailbox, calling the app "nothing short of spectacular."


Though there are a slew of emailing apps available, including Apple's own Mail app, Google's Gmail app, and third party alternatives like Sparrow, no email client offers the innovative quick-swipe interface of Mailbox.

Mailbox is in closed beta at this time, but the website states that it will be available for iPhone + Gmail after the new year.

Top Rated Comments

jasheeky Avatar
159 months ago
Video shows her using a white iPhone 5, but the phone she puts in her back pocket is an iPhone 4/4S.

Gotcha ! /coolstory
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BinaryTim Avatar
159 months ago
Too lazy to read; will it support iCloud, Gmail, notifications, etc.? Ta.

If you are too lazy to read, how are you going to know if/what someone responds to your question? :rolleyes:

Oh, and no, I'm not going to give you the answer even though I'm wasting my time writing this.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
petsounds Avatar
159 months ago
All e-mail goes through their servers. Not only does this mean you're putting the trust of your personal communications and/or business communications in the hands of a small company and hope they won't 1) read it, and 2) have insecure servers which could allow other people to read it, but if their service has an outage, you won't get any mail.

Also no Exchange support.

So, no thanks. Design looks nice, and some nice UX ideas there, but going through their servers is a non-starter for me.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
robotphood Avatar
159 months ago
Eww!!!
Sorry that just looks brutal. Those half/full swipe gestures would drive me nuts. Going to delete instead of read by mistake. Seems like in trying to make mail more streamlined all they did is make it bloated and less intuitive.


The colored indicators are quite clear when you swipe but I think it's just a matter of getting used to it. My first thought from this demo is how intuitive and simple it was. I already use and prefer apps that use gestures like tweetbot, reeder, pocket, sparrow, chrome, etc... It did not take long to gain that muscle memory. A quick swipe is always faster and less tedious than 2-3 taps. If you thought this looks brutal you should see the gestures I have with bettertouchtool on my macbook air :p
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Karma*Police Avatar
159 months ago
Looks interesting. I'd probably check it out except I only use my gmail account for spam.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sniffies Avatar
159 months ago
If you are too lazy to read, how are you going to know if/what someone responds to your question? :rolleyes:

Oh, and no, I'm not going to give you the answer even though I'm wasting my time writing this.
That's what we have forum notifications for. :rolleyes:
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive an All-New Perk

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:21 am PST by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already come with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and now there is another one...
maxresdefault

An Apple TV Refresh is Coming in 2025 - Here's What You Should Know

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:17 am PST by
Apple hasn't refreshed the Apple TV since 2022, but rumors suggest that we're finally going to get an update in 2025. We don't have a full picture of what to expect yet, but we have some hints on what's coming. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Updated A-Series Chip The current Apple TV 4K uses the A15 Bionic chip that was in the iPhone 13 lineup, and it's time for...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb

iPhone SE 4 Launching as Soon as Next Week

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone SE could debut as soon as next week with a launch to follow later in February, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple isn't expected to hold an event for the iPhone SE 4, and will instead unveil the device through a press release. The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have an iPhone 14-style design, with Apple eliminating the thick bezels and Touch ID Home button of...
iOS 18

iOS 18.3.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Thursday February 6, 2025 7:31 am PST by
Apple is internally testing iOS 18.3.1 for iPhones, according to our website's analytics logs, which have been a consistently reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released within the next few weeks. iOS 18.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Apple Intelligence notification summaries for news and...
iCloud General Feature Redux

Apple Ordered by UK to Create Global iCloud Encryption Backdoor

Friday February 7, 2025 2:37 am PST by
The British government has secretly demanded that Apple give it blanket access to all encrypted user content uploaded to the cloud, reports The Washington Post. The undisclosed order is said to have been issued last month, and requires that Apple creates a back door that allows UK security officials unencumbered access to encrypted user data worldwide – an unprecedented demand not before...
disney

Disney+ Loses 700,000 Subscribers Following Price Increase

Wednesday February 5, 2025 3:34 pm PST by
Disney+ lost 700,000 subscribers worldwide in recent months, according to Disney's earnings results for the first quarter of 2025. Disney said it now has 124.6 million Disney+ subscribers, a decrease of 0.7 million compared to its subscriber numbers in the fourth quarter of 2024. The drop in subscribers comes after Disney+ prices increased in the fall. Disney+ with Ads went from $7.99 to...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

iPhone Driver's Licenses to Expand to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday February 5, 2025 6:27 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Below, we outline which U.S. states and territories offer the feature, and additional states that have committed to rolling it out in...