Google is testing a feature on the latest version of the Android Gmail app which has been available via the web for some time now: the ability to easily unsubscribe from promotional bulk email senders via a quick button. Once live, this will allow you to easily remove yourself from these lists without having to hunt for the “unsubscribe” link that is usually placed at the bottom of such emails.
The unsubscribe button has been part of the Gmail web experience for a while, appearing on top of emails and making it easier for users to find and unsubscribe from unwanted emails. There are times when this button will take you straight to the sender’s website where you can then unsubscribe, but oftentimes, it works automatically and provides a confirmation.
However, this had not been the case on the Gmail mobile app, where options for blocking and reporting spam are currently available but hidden inside the 3-dot menu. The lack of this easy-to-access button forces users of the Android mobile app to scroll down through the email itself to find the unsubscribe link to click on. This, of course, requires a little more time and effort from the user, as these links are usually inconveniently placed in a very small font.
Unsubscribe button in the newest Gmail for Android app | Source – TheSpAndroid
The new button was spotted by
AssembleDebug from TheSpAndroid in version 2023.11.12 of the Gmail app, which is currently not live for all users. Furthermore, even on this newer version of Gmail, a hidden flag had to be enabled in order to make the feature work. This usually means that the feature is not yet ready for prime time.
The introduction of this feature on the Gmail Android app — whenever it does get widely rolled out — is likely the product of the work Google has been doing to force bulk email senders to give you an easy way out. According to new guidelines that Google set earlier this year, commercial emails will have to have a one-click unsubscribe button that’s clearly visible in the message, and the process to unsubscribe will have to be completed within two days.
Based on this, it appears that Google is taking this one step further by implementing its own solution to making the unsub option a bit clearer for users. I can see this being a huge time-saver for those that like to triage their email feed before starting their workday and would appreciate having a fast and easy way to unsubscribe to those pesky email lists.
Source: Phone Arena
