Gmail for iOS Updated for the First Time in Three Months

After neglecting the app for several months, Google today finally updated Gmail on the App Store for the first time in exactly three months.

gmail updated

Today's update, version 6.0.210124, says it includes "Bug fixes and performance improvements," but it is a notable update given it's the first one the app has seen in months. Alongside Gmail, Google Meet, Google Sheets, Google Docs, Google Calander, and Google Tasks have also received app updates today, with Google Tasks adding new iOS 14 widgets.

As with nearly all Google apps on the ‌App Store‌, Gmail had remained without a proper app update for months. Initial speculation was that Google was holding back app updates as a way to delay having to disclose to users its privacy practices. Updates for Google's more popular apps have started rolling out over the past few weeks, and Gmail is certainly one of the most high-profile ones to finally see an update.

Announced at WWDC 2020 and rolled out officially in December, Apple's privacy "nutrition labels" require developers to provide users detailed information about what data they collect and whether they share that data with third parties. As of early December, developers must provide this privacy information before a new or updated app can be made available on the ‌App Store‌.

Google updated Gmail with privacy labels just over a week ago, but the app itself was not updated until today.

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

WSJ: Apple Weighing Price Hikes for iPhone 17 Lineup Without Blaming Tariffs

Monday May 12, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
Apple is considering raising prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 models set to release this fall, according to people familiar with the matter cited by The Wall Street Journal. The company reportedly aims to pair the potential price hikes with new features and design changes to justify the increased cost to consumers, rather than attributing them to U.S. tariffs on goods from China. The...
tvOS 18 Feature

Apple Releases tvOS 18.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌Apple TV‌ owners who have...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.5, the fifth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched last September. macOS Sequoia 15.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia 15.5‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Expected This Week With These New Features

Monday May 12, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple is expected to release iOS 18.5 to the general public this week. While the software update is relatively minor, it still includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones. Below, we recap everything new in iOS 18.5. Pride Wallpaper Apple recently announced its 2025 Pride Collection, including a new Apple Watch band, watch face,...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

20th Anniversary iPhone Will Be Mostly Glass With All-Screen Design

Monday May 12, 2025 2:52 am PDT by
Apple will mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone X in 2027 by launching a mostly glass, curved iPhone without any cutouts in the display, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said the all-screen device will arrive later in 2027, suggesting a fall release. The model will be preceded by Apple's first foldable iPhone, claims the reporter....
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

Report: Apple Preparing to Launch Mind-Control Support for iPhones

Tuesday May 13, 2025 6:18 am PDT by
Apple is planning to allow users to natively control iPhones, iPads, and other devices using brain signals later this year, The Wall Street Journal reports. The initiative involves a partnership with Synchron, a neurotechnology startup that produces an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) device called the Stentrode. The Stentrode enables users with severe motor impairments, such as...

Top Rated Comments

sir1963nz Avatar
55 months ago
I use Apple Mail for all my email needs.
I will not have google, Amazon, Facebook Apps on my devices.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
55 months ago

Alright .. teach me.. Why would you use the google app (knowing google uses your data to make money) compared to the Apple iOS app. What are the benefits. Is it faster? Does it save battery? I just really want to know why this app is being downloaded?.
Push notification. Google got rid of Exchange Server several years ago. Apple Mail can access Gmail via IMAP, which is very inefficient (uses a lot of CPU). So Apple Mail defaults to "Automatically" fetch setting where IMAP email accounts are synched only your phone is plugged in or when you open Mail app. You can change the setting to every 15, 30, or 60 minutes, but at the expense of battery life.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johnalan Avatar
55 months ago
WGAF.

Add PIP to YouTube ffs.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
55 months ago
I mean, we know Google apps would have egregious privacy policy. So why delay the inevitable?

While App Privacy and allowing users to preventing apps from using advertising identifier are great steps, I would like Apple to extend their efforts by:

* Contacts. Like Photos, I should be able to specify which set of contacts app can access.
* Calendar and Reminders. New add only permission. Most apps should not be able to read my existing calendar events.
* Local Network: A separate setting to allow AirPlay while blocking other local network activities.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jk1221 Avatar
55 months ago

Search history and location? Seriously???

I'm just puzzled at this point.
Yes. ROUGH location (the privacy card even says rough) using your IP to verify that you are in fact you logging into your account. A security feature that my app like banking apps use. The app has no GPS permissions. That is why it pops are is this you in this city logging in- it uses your IP address.

And search history of your email searches. That is how it has your prior search terms if you want to go back and do the same search again.

This is the problem with Apple's cards. There is not enough detail to explain to people what is actually going on. Most people have no idea what rough location is for instance.

And since we live in the conspiracy theory era now, more needs to be explained.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jk1221 Avatar
55 months ago

Push notification. Google got rid of Exchange Server several years ago. Apple Mail can access Gmail via IMAP, which is very inefficient (uses a lot of CPU). So Apple Mail defaults to "Automatically" fetch setting where IMAP email accounts are synched only your phone is plugged in or when you open Mail app. You can change the setting to every 15, 30, or 60 minutes, but at the expense of battery life.
Also all of the Gmail features- snooze, schedule send, multiple categories/labels, auto-predict, etc etc.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)