We’ve known that the end is in sight for Google’s Inbox app since last year, but now an official date has been confirmed for the switch off.
Notifications have started going out to Inbox users as they open the app. As captured by jdayellow on Reddit, Inbox has just 15 days to live. “This app will be going away in 15 days,” the notification reads. “You can find your favourite Inbox features in the Gmail app. Your messages are already waiting for you.”
Fifteen days’ time is Tuesday April 2, and if that date sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the same day that Google will switch off Google+. Clearly Google has decided to get its disappointments all out of the way in one day.
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Although actually, that’s being generous to Google+ and a bit harsh on Inbox. While Google+ failed to get the kind of usage that’s essential for a social network to function, Inbox didn’t need vast numbers of users for it to be a very useful app. It had a loyal following that enjoyed the tools it introduced to the Gmail experience.
And while Google points out that many of the key features debuted in Inbox have now been adopted by the main Gmail app – Smart Reply, Smart Compose and Follow-ups, to name but three – other key features, like bundling, have yet to make the jump.
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Google is going through a bit of a spring clean at the moment, ditching a bunch of apps and services that clearly aren’t doing the numbers. As well as Inbox and Google+, the company has this month killed Google Allo, and is in the process of retiring the goo.gl URL shortener which will vanish on March 30.
It’s a reminder that for every Gmail, Google Photos and Android there’s another Google Buzz and Google Wave.
Are you a big Inbox fan? What are you going to use instead? Let us know on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
