Gmail Q&A now on Android, iOS as ‘new way of searching your inbox’ [U]

Abner Li | Oct 4 2024 - 8:19 am PT

At I/O 2024, Google announced a Gmail Q&A feature that brings the Gemini side panel available on desktop web to Android. This is now officially rolling out.

Update 10/4: Gmail Q&A is now rolling out to iOS. The Gemini interface is near identical to Android, with the rest of the app still not using Material 3.

Original 8/29: The search bar in Gmail for Android shrinks to allow for a Gemini sparkle next to your profile avatar. This Gemini “How can I help you today?” sheet features suggestions and lets you enter a full prompt. You can expand this panel to take up the entire screen.

You can ask Gemini questions about your inbox or to do things like find specific details in your emails, show you unread messages, view messages from a specific sender, or summarize emails about a topic in your inbox.

Something like “Show unread emails from today/week” will essentially run a search with the appropriate filters set. Results open directly in the app, with Google positioning Gmail Q&A as a “new way of searching your inbox.”

In the future, you will be able to see Google Drive information here.

Meanwhile, the Gemini button also appears in the toolbar when you open an email. It’s positioned to the left of archive, which is unfortunate for muscle memory. This slides up another sheet to enter a prompt or use one of the suggestions. You can also access that panel for follow-ups from the “Summarize this email” button. Gmail Q&A has a per-session history, with the ability to “Clear history” in the corner.

This was first previewed at I/O 2024 and entered broader Workspace Labs testing earlier this month. Google is now ready to launch this feature to personal accounts subscribed to Google One AI Premium, and those with Gemini Business, Enterprise, Education, or Education Premium.

This Android rollout of Gmail Q&A is starting today and will be fully available in the coming weeks. Gmail Q&A is “coming soon” to the iOS app.