Google launched the lighter versions of its most popular apps for low-end smartphones powered by Android Go Edition. Over the years, many of the Android Go apps from Google were made available even for non-Go smartphones. Now, the Gmail Go is listed on the Google Play Store for downloading on all Android smartphones.
The Gmail Go app also comes with a Go badging on the app icon to distinguish itself from the non-Go version. It even comes with all the basic functionalities offered with the regular Gmail app. However, the bottom bar with Google Meet integration is missing on this lighter version.
Gmail Go app available on Play Store for all Android phones
Though the UI looks very minimal and cleaner, the company removed all the UX elements to make the app work smoother on low-end smartphones. Google launched the stripped-down version of Android called Android Go Edition in 2017. The company came up with this initiative to target first-time smartphone users in emerging markets.
Initially, Google limited the Android Go Edition to smartphones with 1.5GB of RAM or less. With the newly launched Android 11 Go Edition, the company increased that limit to 2GB. Moreover, these smartphones also come with either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage.
The Go version of the Gmail app comes in just 9.9MB in size
Apart from offering a smoother experience, the Go version apps are also smaller in size. While the regular Gmail app is about 80MB in size, the Gmail Go comes in at just 9.9MB. Since the Gmail Go is mainly intended to work on low-end smartphones, it doesn’t offer a smoother scrolling experience even on high-end smartphones.
These apps are also optimized to work seamlessly even on slower internet speed. The company already made Google Go, Gallery Go, and Google Maps Go available for all Android smartphones. Now, Gmail Go is the latest Google app to join the list.
Furthermore, Google still restricts Assistant Go and YouTube Go apps to the Android Go phones. Initially, Google partnered with local OEMs for selling these Android Go smartphones in markets like India. Now, several of the top Android OEMs also include Android Go smartphones in their portfolio.
A couple of months back, Samsung launched the Galaxy M01 Core smartphone running on Android 10 Go Edition. The base variant of the smartphone with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage is currently retailing for INR 4,999 (approx. $68).