Last year Google introduced a completely new email application called Inbox by Gmail. The app is fundamentally different from the Gmail app as it seeks to change the way how email is handled on a mobile device. Since then access to the Inbox app has been controlled through an invite system, and those who did receive an invite couldn’t use it with their Google Apps account, since it only supported Gmail. That changes “imminently.”
It did make sense for Google to not open up Inbox by Gmail to Google Apps accounts. Those solutions are used by businesses and educational institutions and they have very demanding needs. An entirely new app can run into hiccups that is something one wouldn’t want to put demanding users through.
Earlier this week Inbox was updated and now it has native support for the iPad as well as several web browsers aprt from Chrome. Google’s Sundar Pichai has also confirmed on Twitter that Inbox be rolling out to Google Apps customers “imminently.”
The confirmation couldn’t have come from a more senior executive. However Pichai didn’t confirm whether Google Apps users would also require an invite to access Inbox or if the app is going to be open for them.
We should get that information in the very near future as Inbox by Gmail gradually goes live for Apps accounts.