The latest updates to the Gmail app let you read less and do more

Using Gmail on mobile devices is about to get better for many users. Remember Summary Cards, a feature that collects useful information from emails and presents it in a neat card at the top of the email?

Previously, summary cards provided details related to tracking a shipment or viewing order details, pulled from information contained in an email. Now Google is adding context-sensitive action buttons to these summary cards.

They also gain “the ability to organize key information into related emails and update status in real time,” Google says in the Workspace update.

Let’s say you have a package that’s scheduled to arrive at your door. The summary card of the corresponding email will now include buttons to track it and view order details. Users will also see a real-time tracking bar that will show them the location and logistic updates on their package.

The rollout of updated summary cards has already begun and will be available to Gmail users on Android and iOS devices. If you don’t see them, follow this path to enable this feature: Gmail > Menu > Settings > General > Smart Features > Personalization.

Summary cards will soon widely support purchases, events, travel and bills. At the same time, they will also get quick action buttons such as “Remind me”, “Invite others” and “Get directions”, among others. There will also be an “Event Coming Soon” section at the top of the inbox, informing users about upcoming events related to the Summary Card.

Next up is an AI-powered update for the Google mail app on iPhones. In late August, Google rolled out Gemini to its Gmail mobile app, offering users a new way to interact with their inbox. Google calls this feature the Gmail Q&A section.

Instead of manual searches, users could simply use natural language queries such as “Read quarterly planning emails” or “show unread messages from XYZ.”

Gemini can also search for specific information in emails, intercept conversations on a specific topic, and more. Until now, the add-on was limited to Android devices, but now it has also started appearing on iOS.

It can also summarize emails, and if you’re already reading a message, just tap the Gemini icon on the top row and the AI ​​will also suggest next steps based on the content of the email and suggest a reply.

For now, Gemini can only do its job based on the content of email messages, but in the near future it will also be able to view files in your Drive. At this time, support is limited to English, and only paid Workspace accounts and Google One AI Premium subscribers have access.

Gemini in Gmail has been a game changer, and when I used the Pixel 9 it was my favorite trick for sheer convenience. By the way, Gemini extensions are also a huge convenience if you’re burdened with a lot of documents and files and just want a summarized version or a few key findings hidden between pages.