Google provides “go” variants of its most popular apps for low-power devices. This week, Gmail Go was quietly made available for download to the Play Store for all users, regardless of device.

The Play Store list for apps is almost the same, but Google specifies how the variant offers “your favorite Gmail, now lighter and just as fast.” That said, Google Go hasn’t updated the screenshots.

The only difference with the app icon is the red “go” badge at the bottom. Once launched the apps are visually identical where everything is and is sorted. Original list emails can be replaced with customizable left / right activities if you have support for multiple accounts and different inbox organizations.

However, since Google Meet is not integrated into Gmail, there is no downside. It’s not clear how the Google workplace will impact this progress.

One of the other differences is how no UI component is developed. There are no layers, and no such shadows. Instead, Gmail Go uses a white outline and extended text FAB for the search field, although it shrinks to a circle as you scroll through it.

Additionally, the frame rate is very tightly bound, resulting in the scroll and slide of the drawer on you falling behind noticeably. This is probably a limited processor and performance optimization for devices with RAM.

If you visit the Gmail list regularly, the Play Store notes how a “similar app” is available.

It matches how other Go applications are available to all users: Google Go, Gallery Go, Google Maps Go and Google Maps Navigation for Go. Assistant Go and YouTube Go are now the only apps that do not support all devices.

The Gmail Go tweak may not mean much for users to download outside of the viewer but it is an option that is available.

Thanks Michael, RKBDI!

Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news: