Tech

Google launches lightweight Gmail Go for Android

Gmail Go is only available for Android Go devices.

Written by Jake Smith, Contributor Feb. 15, 2018 at 1:35 p.m. PT

Google on Thursday launched Gmail Go, a lighter and faster version of the regular Android Gmail app that takes up less space and mobile data.

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Like other Google Go apps, Gmail Go is aimed at lower-end smartphones and limited data plans. Gmail Go isn't available for all Android devices, only Android 8.1 Oreo Go edition devices.

Gmail Go features a "smarter inbox" feature that sorts emails by social, promotional, friends, and more. Additionally, Gmail Go blocks spam and includes multiple account support.

According to reports, Gmail Go's app package is 9.51MB, compared to the Gmail app's 20MB size (via TechCrunch). It also provides 15GB of free cloud storage. Right now, Google isn't providing many other details about Gmail Go's availability or other lightweight features.

Gmail Go is available to download on Android Go devices from Google Play. Last year, Google said Android Go will ship in 2018 for all Android devices that have 1GB or less of memory. Android Go is packaged as an OS, apps and Google Play -- shipped together with 1 GB or less of memory.

Preinstalled on Android Go devices, optimized apps include Google Go, Google Assistant Go, YouTube Go, Google Maps Go, Gmail Go, Gboard, Google Play, Chrome, and the new Files Go app by Google.