Shortwave Is Google's Inbox's Spiritual Successor
Third-party apps are frequently used to fill in the gaps left by developers. After all, Apple and Google create a large number of apps and must balance their feature sets with their accessibility to be utilised by the general population. As a result, you wind up with terrific apps that are simple to use but may lack the features that dedicated users seek.
Third-party developers, on the other hand, can concentrate all of their efforts on creating a single programme that works flawlessly. Gmail may suit most people, but for individuals who desire maximum flexibility and efficiency, a non-Google version of the software may be the best option.
That's why it was strange when Google discontinued "Inbox" in 2014. It felt like a third-party iteration of the Gmail app: "Bundles" grouped specific types of emails together, making it easy to quickly swipe large collections of junk mail away at once; "Highlights" displayed important information from specific emails and intelligently added data that wasn't there, like flight information; and the app added productivity features like reminders and snooze before the Gmail app.
And that was only when it was first introduced. As time passed, Google proceeded to introduce beneficial new features that we now take for granted, such as undo send, unsubscribe cards, and smart replies to react to emails more quickly. The bulk of Gmail users had basic experiences with the standard app, whilst those in the know were effectively emailing from the future.
But it wouldn't endure forever. Google discontinued Inbox in 2019 after pledging to move its best features to Gmail. While some elements clearly made the transition, others, such as "Bundles," did not.
Shortwave is the long-awaited successor to Inbox.
Enter Shortwave, a new email software created by ex-Google employees. According to The Verge, Shortwave immediately evokes the sensation of using Inbox, right down to the UI. The most striking similarity, and the feature that former Inbox users are sure to appreciate, is the usage of bundles to group related emails together. A Promotions bundle, for example, will contain emails attempting to sell you something or tell you of an offer. You'd have to deal with these messages one by one on Gmail, hoping you didn't miss anything crucial along the way. However, Shortwave makes it simple to discard all of these at once.
You may also personalise these bundles by grouping together select emails. If Shortwave ever gets it wrong, you can use smart labelling to fix it. You can also schedule when particular types of emails arrive in your inbox: If you only want to get newsletter-type emails after work, that's your choice.
The software also uses AI to assist you move through your inbox, including email summaries and translations, and includes a method for marking key emails while snoozing others.
You may add multiple Gmail accounts (but not other email account types), customise your notifications (including when to schedule bundle notifications), link your emails to other apps, and disable tracking pixels, among other things. (There is, indeed, a dark mode.)
Shortwave is completely free to use, so you won't have to pay to try out this Inbox replacement. The free version, however, limits you to 90 days of email history. That may suffice if you don't need to delve too deeply into your inbox on a daily basis. If you routinely retrieve emails from years ago, you might want to consider Shortwave's $9 per month subscription.
Where can I get Shortwave?
After extensive testing, Shortwave is now accessible on the iPhone, desktop, and, eventually, Android. According to Android Police, the Android version is more of a web app than a dedicated app, although it appears to work well. In fact, the developers put all of the app's major shortcuts at the bottom, making it easier to use with one hand. That isn't the case on iOS for now, so Android users look to enjoy the productivity benefit.
