Quick Summary
Google has announced an update to its summary cards in the Gmail app, ensuring you don't miss important information for purchases, bills, events or travel.
The summary cards will be dynamic and adapt in real-time, and they will also feature action buttons for quick access to follow up tasks.
It doesn't matter if you're someone with an Inbox Zero policy on your phone or laptop, or you're that person with a number in the high thousands sitting in the red bubble on your Gmail app, getting help organising your inbox will always be beneficial.
Gmail has offered summary cards for years, but Google has announced that those cards are about to get a whole lot more useful. They are getting a face lift for purchases, events, bills and travel emails, appearing at the top of those emails and offering easy to digest information so you don't have to read the entire email to get the gist of the content.
The summary cards are also dynamic and will update in real time, so if you have a flight coming up or an upcoming delivery of the amazing jacket you ordered, the summary cards will reflect that and give you action buttons, like 'Track Package' or 'Check In' to help make follow up tasks a little easier.
For purchases, the summary cards will track packages, allow you to view order details and find what you've bought.
For events, you'll be able to see concert tickets and dinner reservations, and add them to your calendar, as well as invite other people to join using the quick action buttons.
For bills, you'll be able to see and pay bill, and get reminded to pay later by adding a due date in Google Tasks. And lastly, travel shows flight and hotel details, and allows you to see important information or Check In, as mentioned.
Along with appearing at the top of the four main email categories, the summary cards will also come to a new "Happening Soon" section at the top of your Gmail inbox. This section will show purchase summary cards to start with, only appearing when relevant, like when a delivery is a couple of days away.
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The purchase summary cards will be first to appear in the Gmail app too, on both Android and iOS. That is rolling out from now, so get your Gmail app updated and go buy yourself something nice to see it for yourself.
The travel, event and bill summary cards, as well as the Happening Soon section will roll out in the "coming months".
Britta is a freelance technology journalist who has been writing about tech for over a decade. She's covered all consumer tech from phones, tablets and wearables to smart home and beauty tech, with everything in between. She has a fashion journalism degree from London College of Fashion and previously did a long stint as deputy editor of Pocket-lint, but you’ll now find her byline on several titles including GQ, the Express, the Mirror, TechRadar, Stuff and iMore. You'll never find her without her Apple Watch on, aiming to complete her rings so she can justify the extra bar of chocolate and she loves a good iPhone trick.
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