Google delivers a new Gmail for iOS with categorized inbox and notifications

Google updated its Gmail app for iOS today, adding the new categorized in-box from the web version of Gmail, just as it did for Android yesterday.

In addition, it has a new notifications feature that enables you to customize whether you want notifications of new email based on the categories Google has sorted them into.

The new inboxes Gmail offers are Primary, Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums, which you can configure on the web at Gmail.com. (Simply click the gear icon at top right, select Configure inbox, and choose the ones you want.) Once they show up on the web, they’ll also show up in your Gmail app, although you may have to relaunch it to see them. Any other configuration changes you make online will migrate to the app as well.

Google’s doing something interesting with notifications.

Rather than getting a notification for every single new email, you can now simply elect to receive notifications for your primary inbox, which promises to improve the signal and cut down on the noise on your smartphone.

While the Android version roll-out was staggered, with some people getting it before others, the iOS version appears to be available for all immediately.

Google recently had five of the six most popular apps in America on iOS and Android combined, with Maps, Google Play, Google Search, Gmail, and YouTube taking positions two through six.

Image credits: John Koetsier