Google Just Made Gmail Better, But You Need A Different Address

Google has been on a roll with its email platform, Gmail, recently, and its latest update is no exception. The addition of an unsubscribe button and backend process for marketing emails has received widespread praise, but we can't help but wonder: does this really solve the problem at hand?

Gmail's main issue remains unresolved, despite Google's efforts to improve it. With over 2 billion users, Gmail is a treasure trove of unwanted spam and marketing emails. The new unsubscribe feature may seem like a game-changer, but as we delve deeper, we realize that it's just a band-aid solution. What this update really needs is a fresh start – a new email address, free from the constant barrage of junk mail.

But setting up a new account and cleaning house with your contact details can be inconvenient and time-consuming. That's why Google has come up with a halfway solution: Shielded Email. This feature allows users to create new email aliases that don't require sharing their real address online. These temporary addresses can be deleted at any time, preventing unwanted spam from piling up in your inbox.

What's even more exciting is that Shielded Emails will become part of Google's Autofill system, making it easy for users to create new emails on the go. This means that apps and screens that previously displayed suggested autofill details based on saved passwords and usernames can now show these temporary addresses instead. It's a win-win for both users and Google.

But why is this solution so important? Apple's Hide My Email offering has proven to be an excellent alternative, allowing users to keep their personal email address private in various situations. The difference between Google's new unsubscribe feature and Apple's solution lies in the approach: while the latter provides a temporary email address on demand, Google's effort only makes it easier to delete unwanted emails.

"It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of subscription emails clogging your inbox," Google admits. "Daily deal alerts that are basically spam, weekly newsletters from blogs you no longer read, promotional emails from retailers you haven’t shopped in years can quickly pile up." But this solution only addresses a symptom, not the root cause of the problem.

Apple's Hide My Email, on the other hand, provides a more comprehensive solution. It "lets you keep your personal email address private, whether you’re creating a new account with an app, signing up for a newsletter online, making a purchase or sending an email to someone you don’t know well." Google's equivalent offering can't quite match this level of protection and convenience.

So, what does the future hold for Gmail users? With Shielded Email on the horizon, we're excited to see how this feature will address the ongoing problem of unwanted spam. It's a step in the right direction, but we still need a fundamental change – a fresh email address that keeps our inbox safe from hackers and marketers alike.