[LINK] itNews: 'Google pulls Gmail for iOS 3 hours after launch'

[Roger Clarke]

[RAD = BAD, and the 'permanent beta' mentality undermines quality.]

Google pulls Gmail for iOS 3 hours after launch
Liam Tung
Nov 3, 2011 7:11 AM (1 hour ago)
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/278766,google-pulls-gmail-for-ios-3-hours-after-launch.aspx

Bad week for Google.

Google has pulled its iOS Gmail app just hours after it launched, 
citing a bug which crippled its functionality. 

"Unfortunately, it contained a bug which broke notifications and 
caused users to see an error message when first opening the app," 
Google's Gmail team explained. 

"Sorry we messed up," the Gmail team added on Twitter.  

The app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch was meant to be "one more 
reason to switch to Gmail", according to its post earlier in the day. 
Gmail for iOS will be brought back "soon", but Google has not given a 
timeframe.

When Google does re-release it, Gmail iOS should deliver push 
notifications with alert sounds, autocomplete features from Gmail 
contacts or the device's address book, and a photo uploader. 

Google's explanation that it removed the app due to a notifications 
bug was not the only problem, according to those who had time to test 
it out. 

Gmail for iOS lacked the ability to add multiple accounts, while 
other users complained it looked just like the Gmail web interface, 
according to Mac World.  

One response to an apology by Google's cloud applications lead, Dave 
Girouard, for pushing a "bad version" of its iOS app, was that the 
"app seems to be a wraparound skin for the web app." 

"So it doesn't zip along like a native app does, doesn't update on 
the fly (pull down to refresh to see emails feels like something from 
1999) and so on," said game design and production consultant, Tadhg 
Kelly.

The flawed iOS launch is the second time this week Google has faced 
ridicule for its apps.

Response to a new Gmail interface has been lukewarm while users 
expressed extreme disappointment at the new Google Reader.


-- 
Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/
			            
Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
                    Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW
Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University