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Gmail and Google Chat apps get new features for foldable Android devices

Pictured: Alap Naik Desai
By Alap Naik Desai
July 26, 2024
Featured image for Gmail and Google Chat apps get new features for foldable Android devices

Google is adding multiple new features to its Gmail and Chat apps meant for foldable Android devices. These features should boost productivity on large-screen devices, which means even Android tablets should get them.

Google is offering Formatting Bar, Smart Compose, and more

Foldable Android device and tablet users should start seeing a new “Formatting Bar”. It should be visible on the “Compose” screen inside the Gmail app.

Gmail users will be able to quickly change the font type or make a bulleted list on large-screen devices. Google should gradually add more formatting features to the formatting bar.

Gmail for the web has had “Smart Compose” for quite some time. This feature allows users to quickly type a response by simply pressing the tab key on a physical keyboard. Moving forward, Android foldable and tablet users will be able to swipe across the gray text to accept the AI-suggested input.

Google is unlocking these new features for Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. In other words, anyone using a foldable device or tablet should start getting updates for Gmail and Google Chat apps soon.

Gmail and Chat apps and features separated for smartphones and foldable devices

Google has largely offered the same version of Gmail and Chat apps for smartphones and large-screen devices. However, ever since the Google Pixel Fold launched, the search giant has been actively tweaking these apps for larger screens.

Moving forward, the Gmail and Chat apps for foldable Android devices and large-screen tablets will have multiple keyboard shortcuts. Interestingly, these shortcuts will activate or become available only when users connect an external keyboard.

The new shortcuts will be available by simply pressing the question mark button on the external keyboard. Google hasn’t published a list of these shortcuts.

Google hasn’t indicated if a physical or wireless keyboard will be required to activate these shortcuts. As the Android OS accepts multiple methods for establishing a connection with a keyboard, the type of keyboard or its connection method shouldn’t matter.