Gmail wants to be your one-stop shop for all your email accounts on Android. Gmail 5.0 adds support for Yahoo Mail, Outlook.com and corporate Exchange accounts. The new version also features Material design, Google's new software aesthetic.
Details about the update leaked a couple of weeks ago, and now the actual update appears to have leaked; Android Police posted links to download the .apk files. So far the update hasn't appeared in Google Play, and it's unclear if it'll come to iOS.
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With Gmail 5.0, users will be able to set up and switch between other email accounts just like they would Gmail accounts, selecting the inbox they want to see by first swiping from the left, then tapping on the account.
The new Gmail is also one of the first to incorporate much of "Material" -- Google's new design methodology for Android 5.0 "Lollipop", which the company first unveiled at the Google I/O developer conference. The app makes heavy use of Material's color palate, with liberal use of layers, and many of the design elements from Inbox, Google's new standalone app that aims to re-invent the email app.
Including non-Gmail accounts in the Gmail app represents a strategic shift for Google. Apps that consolidate email accounts from multiple services -- such as Mailbox, Boxer and Acompli -- are myriad, but they've become more viable alternatives to the default email apps on smartphones now that mobile notifications and background refreshing of apps have become more sophisticated. With version 5.0, Gmail will now compete more directly with third-party apps.
At the same time, Gmail's evolution mirrors that of the Chrome browser, and helps push a more Google-centered experience on Android. While Chrome still coexists with the "Internet" app on Android devices, Chrome has become the preferred browser on the platform; Gmail appears to be doing the same thing to Android's "Email."
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