Google's email app for Android achieved its biggest milestone by surpassing 1 billion installs, the first Android app to do so.
Google, the biggest internet search company, has a new reason to celebrate. Gmail for Android has reached a new milestone by surpassing 1 billion installs. The official announcement was made on Google+, Friday, by the company's senior vice president, Sundar Pichai. With that, Gmail became the first Android application to nail the first billionth install, ruling out the default Google Play Services app pre-loaded on all Android devices.
"Great to see the Gmail App on Android just crossed 1Billion installs!!" Pichai wrote.
Gmail's official Android app page shows the app install ranges between 1 billion to 5 billion. The ticker does not necessarily mean the total number of devices that have the app. For instance, if a user has installed the Gmail app on multiple Android phones and tablets under one email account, each app is counted as a separate download. The headcount does not consider the status of the accounts and counts active, inactive and duplicate accounts for its download figure. However, whenever the app is updated, which is an automated process, it is not counted as a new download.
It is also worth noting that the Gmail app is installed on all Android devices running version 2.2 and above. Google already confirmed more than one billion Android device activations were passed last year.
The announcement comes just days after leaked screenshots surfaced online, depicting a completely overhauled Gmail webpage, The Inquirer reports. The report adds that the redesign eliminates the sidebar with a slide-out panel and a new feature called Snooze, which arranges emails based on priority so users can read them later. Other changes include a repositioned Compose button, pins replacing the stars in marking the emails and new Reminders feature.
Google hasn't confirmed when the changes will take effect. But for now, let Google celebrate its new feat of 1 billion Gmail installs on Android devices and wait for more details on the future plans.
