Earlier this week, Google launched its new smartphone alternative to emailing: Inbox. Currently, the app is available by invitation only and its goal is pretty straightforward. Google wanted users to be able to organize, sync, group and bring together all the important content that the user requires in any given day. And such an idea is uniquely appealing to many people, especially since the email is considered to be the old horse that just keeps on galloping. Anyone from small business owners to self-employed, multi-taskers or just casual email users can benefit from Google’s apparent spectacular new app.
There is a twist, however, to this seemingly perfect Google story. Many of those quite enthusiastic to try out Google inbox have already begun to question the legitimacy of the tech giant’s initiative because of the mandatory invitation. Inbox requires an invitation to join, regardless of the fact that it is already available in App Store and in the Play Store.
As such, some wonder whether Google has lost touch with what is important to its users. And while they may not know precisely what you particularly want, they have a general concept about what the average email user desires. Google believes that the goal is organizing rather than prioritizing (despite the fact that marketing of the app has been unclear in that regard, letting many believe that Google and the Inbox app will eventually believe to make choices for the user).
But the fact is that all Google attempted to do was to employ its Google Now technologies into a user-friendly email application that would modernize the email experience and synergize various types of features.
The goal of the app wasn’t to replace Gmail, but to rather put a modern spin on the modern man’s necessity, the email, and transform it into an app that could also meet his changing needs.
Jack Gold, an independent analyst, studied Google’s app and believes that this may actually be a slippery slope for the tech giant, if Inbox fails to keep up with its end of the bargain and efficiently organize.
“The issue is, how does an overseer sort through all the communications and accurately predict what’s important to the user? It’s not an easy task.”
Gold said on Thursday.
There have been some to argue that Inbox will learn the behavior of the user, but that speaks to what Google Now is already about.
“It will learn which contacts are important to you and which topics you tend to actually read and respond to rather than delete.”
Rob Enderle, an analyst for the Enderle Group said.
Regardless, only time will tell if users will appreciate the process of requesting to be brought into the app via App Store or Play Store and then having to request to join via email.