Gmail for iOS Updated With Background Refresh

Google today updated its Gmail for iOS app to version 3.0, adding both simplified sign-ins and background app refresh. With the new update, Gmail will use iOS 7's background refresh capabilities to fetch mail even when the app is not open.

Before the update, users could receive notifications when new mail was received, but opening the app was required to download the messages.

The app also supports a simplified sign-in that allows users to sign into all Google apps when signing into a single app such as Maps, Drive, Chrome, or Gmail.

Background app refresh: Gmail now fetches your mail even when it is not open so it will be waiting for you when you open the app. Requires iOS 7 and at least one type of notification (badge, alert, or banner) to be turned on.

Simplified sign-in: Signing into Google Apps such as Gmail, Maps, Drive and Chrome just got easier. Sign in to one, and you'll be signed in to all automatically.

Note: In some cases, you may need to sign-in to Gmail again after this update.

Gmail can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

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nzalog

65 months ago

How about don't be dicks and just allow 'push' to the native iOS client.

Rating: 9 Votes

SkippyThorson

65 months ago

I've got to say, the Google apps are all fantastic, but I want my work account signed in to some, and my personal account signed in to others.

When it tries to throw both my accounts on all Google apps, I want to just delete every single one.

Other than that, this is a welcome update.

Rating: 4 Votes

bookofzero

65 months ago

Wasn't it recently discovered that apps can abuse background refresh to continue to mine your personal information? Am I the only one unsurprised that Google released this on the heels of this discovery?

Rating: 4 Votes

taptic

65 months ago

Just keep google off my iPhone please!

Rating: 4 Votes

eaglesfanone

65 months ago

Really, updating this app mean nothing until a unified inbox is included.

Rating: 3 Votes

BaldiMac

65 months ago

But who closes the app? Or doesn't start it after booting their phone? I fail to see any gain for 99% of gmail app users

But it already does that. Gmail shows me a notification for a new message, I open Gmail, and it takes me straight to the message. I just don't see the difference?

Prior to this update, the app is only active when it is in the foreground. It could not download any mail in the background. Even if you start the app after booting your phone, a few seconds after switching away from it, the app would be suspended and unable to download new message.

Now, whenever you receive a push notification for a new message the app automatically becomes active temporarily to download any new messages.

For example, let's say you receive 20 messages a day. You don't open your Gmail app all day. When you finally do open it, you will have to wait a few seconds while the 20 messages download. If you don't have a connection when you open the app, then the messages will not be there at all.

However, with the new update, the Gmail app downloads the new messages whenever you receive a Gmail push notification. When you open the Gmail app for the first time in a day, all 20 messages would already be downloaded even if you currently have no connection.

Rating: 3 Votes

iBreatheApple

65 months ago

Forget Gmail, can someone tell me why we still can't play YouTube in the background?

Rating: 3 Votes

bozzykid

65 months ago

But it already does that. Gmail shows me a notification for a new message, I open Gmail, and it takes me straight to the message. I just don't see the difference?

You must have a perfect connection at all times then. Before now, Gmail couldn't load the message until after you opened the app from the notification. Now it is using iOS 7's background refresh so that your inbox messages are downloaded in the background.

Rating: 2 Votes

BaldiMac

65 months ago

I close my apps right after using them, every single time. Every time I unlock my phone, no apps are open except messaging.

Just out of curiosity, why would you do this? :confused:

Rating: 2 Votes